In One World
by Era Yachi
Summary: A DBZ and Final Fantasy IX crossover. When the characters from DBZ and FF9 are mysteriously dumped on the same planet, it seems they'll have to team together.
1. In Two Different Worlds

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters, yada yada yada, someone else does, but I can't remember or spell the name (I suck at spelling!) so.....  
  
(Ah, and it comes to a time after the Buu Saga....(I haven't seen anything past the 218.0 episode, so.....I'm just taking a guess though I heard rumor that Vegeta dies....I think I'm missing on something here cause I'm wondering if the rest of the Buu Saga is even finished being translated in North America....Anyway, I'm going to assume that Buu is destroyed and everyone's OK....it wont matter, because this fanfic has got nothin' to do about earth or super-evil genious villains trying to destroy it! hehehe....)  
  
(IMPORTANT YOU MUST READ THIS: Anyway, this is my first crossover, Yep, that's right. I'm crossing over with Dragon Ball Z and Final Fantasy IX. None of the characters are OOC that much, I hope, and I'm writing this according to how they talk and act on the show, not how people assume they should....am I making sense? You'll see what I mean....Now, what will happen when the characters form DBZ and FF9 meet???)  
(NOT IMPROTANT DO NOT HAVE TO READ IF NOT INTERESTED IN MY COOL COMPARISONS: Don't you notice, that if you compare the chars from both, they kinda relate to each other? Zidane is like Goku, outgoing, friendly, and funny.....though Goku's kinda, well.....never mind. Eiko's like both Goten and Trunks. Smart, like Trunks, and strong, yet always exited about everything, hehe....Amarant is DEFINITELY the best to compare to Vegeta, I mean, they're both secluded and higstrung, yet, I think Vegeta might be a little TOO highstrung, but....anyway. Krillin is....well. Vivi. How? I dunno....*thinks about it* It's not easy to say....just popped into my head like that, somehow...Freya....hmmmm.....i'll get back to her. Oh yeah, Vegeta has a kind of Steiner in him too....Wait! Allow me to explain! hehe, I mean, the only thing that is alike about them is that Steiner is all "I am a knight, and I am sworn to blahblahblah...." and Vegeta is like "I am a Saiyin prince and I will not tolerate this!".........yyyeah, you get the idea. Freya.....ah...is like Piccolo, in a sense that is hard to descride. Quiet, and a little secluded, like Amarant. Actually Piccolo might be a better comparison for Amarant, dont you think? Oh well, and oh yeah! Dagger....hmmm...she's a mix between ChiChi and, well, Videl. Tough fighter, doesn't take much nonsense, and yet is pretty sensiteve, and head-over-heels for Zidane, like ChiChi is for Goku, and yes, you gotta admit it, just like Gohan can't get his mind off of Videl. *grin* I don't think i have a comparison for Quina. S/he like to eat, like Goku, Trunks, Gohan, Vegeta, and Goten, right? There you go. That pretty much wraps it up, I suppose....I hope I haven't missed anyone important.)  
  
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(Thank you, Blood Sinned, whoever and wherever you are, bless your soul, and you too Ornery-chan! Unlike some skimmers, they LIKED my Final Fantasy 9 fanfics! So did a lot of other people, of course....ah, right. RUSTY! You're just MEAN! Thanks for the *weak applause* and "apology" in my poem's review....but, I'm serious, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all, ok? Yeah.)  
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"Now stay tuned for these messages! We'll be right ba-"  
  
The disgruntled saij-in warrior silently picked up the little box that Bulma called a "remote", and pressed the strange, red button in the corner. The TV blinked off. Placidly, Vegeta stood up and left the room, not before he aimed a final, apprehensive glare at the "noisy, useless piece of junk." It was 2:00 in human standards, and there was never anything interesting on, save Bulma's "soaps". The saij-in prince narrowed his eyes. "The Young And The Restless" had absolutely no point to it. No explosions, no fighting, besides some verbal disagreements. Just a lot of screwed up "love" lives."  
  
He brushed past Bulma, as he entered the kitchen. Surprised, the blue-haired woman spun around to watch his retreating back, and crossed her arms indignantly.  
  
"Excuse me? Where are you going? I was just about to join you, you know."  
  
Vegeta glanced over his shoulder and smirked, "Join yourself. I have some training to do."  
  
Bulma huffed impatiently, "Oh, I see, you couldn't find anything being destroyed on television, so you're going to go do some yourself."  
  
This time, the warrior turned around, still wearing his ignorant smirk, "That was the general idea, woman."  
  
But Bulma just shrugged, "If you break the gravity machine, you sleep on the couch."  
  
Vegeta was not one to be told what to do, "Sounds reasonable. If I break the gravity machine, you sleep on the couch."  
  
For several seconds, Bulma felt somewhat overwhelmed, that is, until she realized that Vegeta had merely repeated her word for word. "Hey! Wait! Youc an't DO that!" She cried, and dove after him as he exitted the house.  
  
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"And the winner is.....Goten!" ChiChi cried, and busrt out laughing. Goten and Gohan both stood outside in the yard. Gohan looked as if he'd just finished being mauled by Cell, but Goten was standing, unscathed, and innocent, with his arms still folded at his sides with his fists clenched.   
  
"You little rascal," Gohan managed to laughed through his heaves of breath. "You weren't supposed to use an energy blast."  
  
"Oh," said the little saij-in. "Sorry."  
  
Videl stood beside ChiChi, her arms folded, "Huh. Gohan's still stronger."  
  
ChiChi suddenly looked horrified, "What? I'm not supposed to be cheering them on! GOHAN!!! You're gonna HURT MY LITTLE GOTEN!!!"  
  
Gohan, still looking a little blinded from Goten's energy, walked towards the two woman, with a little waver. Goten beamed behind him, "Aw, c'mon Gohan. You're not gonna give up now, are you?"  
  
The half-saijin turned around and grinned sheepishly, "You train with mom....Uh, I'm gonna go and see if Trunks wants to train with us."  
  
"But!" protested Goten.  
  
ChiChi crossed her own arms, looking rather like Videl, "That's not a good idea, Gohan. It's late, and supper's almost ready, and-"  
  
"Yay!" Goten began hopping up and down. "Trunks's coming over!"  
  
"C'mon, Goten, me and you can fight!" said Videl, stepping forward. "Just remember, I'm no saij-in, so no energy blasts!"  
  
"Hmmm...." ChiChi thought aout loud.   
  
"They'll be fine, mom," Gohan assured, and grinned again. "Well, bye!"  
  
"Waiiit!" ChiChi called after him, as he took to the sky. "What about supper???"  
  
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Gohan touched down on the soft grass outside of Capsule Corp. and stretched his back for a moment. Goten's energy blast must have done something to it. But he really didn't think that it mattered. If they had Trunks over, they could have a little competition. Maybe even Vegeta would care enough to join them. It was likely. If it involved sparring, then Vegeta would be a little less than glad to join them.  
  
"Hey Gohan. What were you doing here?"  
  
Gohan turned around and smiled a greeting when he saw Trunks leaning against the side of the capsule behind him. He looked a little fatigued, and the towel handing around his shoulders was soaked. But he still held that mature, aware look in his eyes amd the half-smirk on his face.  
  
"Hi, Trunks," said Gohan, rubbing the back of his neck, thoughtfully. "Uh, I was just wondering if you wanted to come spar with us, you know, have a little competition with me and-"  
  
"No, he cannot."  
  
Gohan nearly jumped, when Vegeta emerged from behind the corner. He looked a little bit less annoyed than he usually did. Perhaps he'd had a good day. Perhaps not, for the next thing Gohan knew, the saij-in prince had whipped the sweaty towel into his face. Stunned, Gohan caught it as it dropped off the end of his nose.  
  
"Don't just stand there, state your business," ordered Vegeta. "Unless your sole intention was to abduct my son to play one of your silly games."  
  
"Hey, dad, can Gohan stay for dinner?" Trunks asked plaintivly, peering up at him.  
  
"No, that's all right Trunks," said Gohan, narrowing his eyes. "Mom, I mean -- ChiChi expects me home for dinner tonight. You're sure you don't want to come, Vegeta?"  
  
The saij-in snorted, "I thought you were here for Trunks, boy."  
  
"I was, but I thought you'd be interested in fighting, too, Vegeta," Gohan replied. "You know, me agianst you, Trunks against-"  
  
"Ha!" barked the saij-in prince. "Trunks would crush that runt before he could power up! And you fightnig against me? Don't make me laugh, boy!"  
  
"Vegeta-"  
  
"I spar only with my son and Kakarot!" spat the saij-in. "Let us go, Trunks. You mother has our supper ready."  
  
Trunks, though looking a bit unnerved about his father's icy tone, obeyed without hesitation. Only when the saij-in prince and his son had passed Gohan, and had begun to head for the building, did Trunks turn around and give Gohan an apologetic look. Noticing that Vegeta had also stopped, and was glaring at him, the saij-in boy quickly picked up his pace and ran ahead of his father   
  
Gohan watched them disapper through the house's front door, and shook himself form his dazed anger. Forgetting that he'd wanted to say hello to Bulma, he took off into the air, and didn't look back as he flew towards home again.  
  
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~Sometimes, in a seldom order, a person will begin to think about other worlds, and different people. Others would scoff at them, and describe in verbal, nasty ways about how insane that brilliant thinker had to be, to believe such a thing. Then again, comes the time where there is the odd companion, or stranger that would agree. They would agree if they shared the same belief, or if they doubted the possibility as much as those other people, the tormentors. We believed the same. Or, at least, I believed the same.~  
  
"Yo, Mr. Flaming Amarant, your ride is here, pal."  
  
Almost startled, the former bandit dropped his quill. He almost dropped the little booklet in his left hand as well, but his reflexes took care that problem. Clutching the pages so hard that they almost tore, Amarant turned to see Corroc standing behind him, leaning against the platform wall. The rookie thief grinned, and nodded towards the gargant, who was busily chowing down on it's snack.  
  
Corroc picked himself up, and peered curiously at the notes in Amarant's hand, "Funny, since when did you become a writer?"  
  
"I'm not a writer," said Amarant, tucking the notebook and quill (a handy item he'd, well, stolen from some place he couldn't remember) in a pocker. "Forget it."  
  
The theif shrugged, "Well, get on before the damned insect decides meal time is over."  
  
Amarant glared at his companion, who'd he'd only met four days ago. He began to step onto the gargant's basket, when the thief's voice stopped him, "Are you really going to go? Man, I thought you were just joking all along."  
  
Skeptically, Amarant turned around again, aiming a curious look at the thief.  
  
Corroc grinned beneath his long, black bangs, and ran his fingers through his hair, "Well, if you're serious about it, you'll need someone to look after you, won't you?"  
  
The former bandit crossed his arms, "No, you're going to stay here, and you're not going to complain about it."  
  
"Right," said Corroc. "Just try and stop me."  
  
Suddenly, Amarant gestured towards something behind the theif's shoulder and snorted, "I thought there was only one gargant. Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
Confused, Corroc spun on his heel to face the "gargant" behind him, "Wha-"  
  
Now that the thief was relievingly distracted, Amarant climbed into the basket, at the prescise moment the gargant took off. Gripping the side of the basket to steady himself for the rough launch, he turned himself to see the form of a very irritated Corroc and heard that man shout with a quickly fading voice, "You can't get rid of me that easily!"  
  
"Next time, don't fall for something so stupid," said Amarant, under his breath. Then he turned around, and sat himself comfortabley in one of the seats. He smirked and shook his head, thoughtfully, "Too easy."  
  
After about a minute or two of deciding, he sighed and unpocketed his notebook again, and whipped the quill out at the same time. Pausing slightly, with the tip of the pen hovering oer the paper, he began to write.  
  
~I can't alarm everyone with what I've discovered. Of all people, it had to be me. Of course, it would be pretty sad if I sent news like this through a moogle. Those things are damned lazy, anyway. If only there was a quicker way to get to Alexandria, not that I don't mind a ew hours of peace and quiet. Why am I doing this? This is great, I'm asking myself a question on paper. I might as well be talking to myself. I'm doing this because of him. Because I owe him, not because I care about what his precious home planet has become. I don't know if he'll be happy to hear me out or not. Perhaps it's best I tell Dagger first, or spread a rumour around town. It might prepare him for the worst. I can't blame him this time, though gods know I've tried. I'll keep this between you and me, little book. Just so long as you can keep a secret. Terra is alive. And there is someone asking me, of all the people it has the tendancy to contact, to help them.~  
  
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(No, Amarant has NOT softened up. Trust me, when you read the next chapter, all the irony and sarcasm he might be lacking this time will be made up for. And no, the sotry will not be all about him, though that's pretty much all you could expect from me, hehehe. More characters will slide into place when the next chapter goes up. And the actual crossover is going to take place soon, so....donta worry....^_^) 


	2. The Truth Is Not Always A Virtue

Disclaimer: Ok, I own 'The Demon', I own it's sequel (Not even written yet!) and I own these fanfics, and other various novels, but I do NOT own Final Fantasy IX or Squaresoft, or whatever....*giggle*  
  
To write, or not to write....that is....my question? Eh? Wha....Bah! .I'm no Shakespear or Mowatt, or whatever. I aint no J.K.Rowling, and I certianly aint no Tamora Pierce (she's so cool! the BEST author ever!) I can tell you ONE thing. I. Am. Invincible! BWAHAHA! No, just kidding.   
  
All right, all right. So the show Must go on, eh? Sigh. I'm so proud of myself, *sniff* Right. Anyway.....  
  
  
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It was dark, when Bulma woke up. Blinking away the bleariness and sleep from her eyes, she slowly sat up in bed, twisting her head left, and then right. She was trying to determine where the noise, the sharp, cracking noise was coming from. It sounded almost as if it were a wire being short-circuited, but a lot loud, and, well, stronger.  
  
The blue-haired woman looked down, to her left, and nearly jolted ouot of her skin to see that Vegeta's spot was empty. Softly, she laid a hand on the spot where he usually slept. It was still warm.  
  
Suddenly, she became away of a husky voice, whipering to someone outside. Or, at least she though she had. As soon as she became away of it, it stopped, and her head rang with silence. Whoever it had been, it was coming from the direction of the bedroom patio.  
  
"Ve...Vegeta?" she whispered.  
  
To her surprise, the voice that answered her came from directly behind, "Lie down, woman. It's nothing."  
  
Nearly trembling, Bulma turned around in bed, and saw Vegeta approaching her, arms crossed. She bit her lip, nervously, "What's....what is that sound?"  
  
Vegeta stopped short to stare at her for a moment, "I hear nothing."  
  
"Listen," she prompted, and gestured towards the patio door. "It's coming from outside, and....and I heard a voice, too."  
  
The saij-in prince blinked at her, and glanced towards the door. With an expression declaring that he was clearly annoyed, he stalked towards it. He peered silently through the glass, before teseing t he handle. Then he slid the patio door open.. Bulma held her breath.  
  
Immediatly, the cracking sound grew louder, almost deafening. A loud snapping noise filled the house, and a flash of white light caused Bulma to shield her face. Suddenly, to her horror, she heard Vegeta cry out in pain. She opened her eyes just in time to see a pale green light seep over the balcony railing and hit him square in the face. The saij-in threw himself backwards, stumbling to his knees, as the sound grew even louder. The flash had receded, but a dim light started to appear at the lip of the patio wall. It too, was pale green.  
  
Bulma gasped her surprise, and leapt out f her covers at once. Whispering feverish curses, she threw herself on the floor beside Vegeta, and placed both hands on his shoulders. She leaned over, peering into his face, which he now covered with both of his hands, "Vegeta!"  
  
Surprisingly, her didn't flinch. He merely lifted his head, slowly, and took his left and away. Bulma caught her breath. His left eye was drenched in blood, and he had a horrible burn down the left side of his cheek. Swearing, the saij-in prince shook off her hands, and said something that was unclear to her. Gently, Bulma placed her hands where they were before, only to have them shaken off again, "You stupid baka," he nearly growled. "Get away form me....I'm fine."  
  
Bulma frowned, "You're hurt."  
  
Vegeta sneered, and stood back up on his two feet, wiping the blood form his eyes, "It is not serious. I am more concerned about what the hell that was!"  
  
Bulma suddenly felt the same way, and did not interfere when Vegeta began to approach the balcony. Only when he reached the door did she speak out. "Vegeta," she said softly. He half-glanced over his shoulder. "Be careful..."  
  
Snorting, the saij-in prince stepped out onto the dully-lit balcony, and not bothering with caution, he leaned over the railing. With his back to her, Bulma could not make out his expression on his face. Yet the fact that after several moments, he did not lean back again, made it clear that what he saw was more or less unnatural. She swallowed drly, "Vegeta? What...what is it?"  
  
Slowly, Vegeta turned around again, and crossed his arms, "I do not believe I ever remember owning an energy sphere in our back yard."  
  
Bulma blinked back her shock, "A...a what?"  
  
"Hmm," the saij-in huffed. "It is unusual."  
  
"Vegeta..." Bulma said in a tone just above a whisper, and raced after him as he made for the bedroom door. "Wait! I'm coming with you this time. One doesn't even have to wonder what you'll get yourself into next."  
  
Stopping only momentarily, he turned his head to give her a cold glare. Then he disappeared through the doorway. Bulma carefully followed him down the stairs. There was no reason to make more noise than was needed. If Trunks woke up, he would never get back to sleep as long as he knew there was something strange going on....  
  
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Amarant was inside of Alexandria castle at last. It was, surprisingly, quite empty, besides the few guards and maids that never stopped rushing around. Amarant scowled -- Why did the guards have to bow to him like that? They did it for Zidane, Dagger, Vivi, Eiko....everyone. Even himself, and he could tell clearly by their expressions that they would rather NOT bow to him. But they had duties, and that was all that kept the bandit from sneering at them.  
  
He tried, but he could not forget the words that he'd written inside of his 'little book'. Although writing them down seemed to have taken a small load off of his mind, the same reality repeated itself over and over again, inside of his mind. He knew too much of Gaia's pending death to simply ignore. He wasn't that uncaring, to let all life be wiped from existance -- especially when it included his own. And....  
  
And Lani's...  
  
No, he was wrong. He'd be happy, in fact, if she'd simply disappeared. Of course he would.  
  
Wouldn't he?  
  
"Halt, you- Oh. My apologies, Sir Amarant."  
  
The bandit had already reached the foot of the stairs, and was preparing to ascend them, when he heard the annoying, yet familiar voice.. With a small clank of rusted metal, Steiner stepped forward from behind him, clearly aware that Amarant wasn't in the mood to turn around. Haughtily, the knight shook his hand in the tall, red-haired man's face, "I did not recognize you at first. Even giving the amount of jealousy you have shown me in the past, I must admit that it is a please to see you again."  
  
Amarant wondered how that could actually be possible, but he hastily agreed with himself that it was hardly time to get angry, "Take me to Zidane."  
  
"Hmm," replied Steiner, flatly. "Still an ignorant scoundrel. Must I remind you, it has only been a week since Zidane's return. He is.....rather busy at the moment."  
  
Amarant also decided that he was not ready for games, "I don't care. What could he possibly be so busy with, that he can't hear the news I have to give him?"  
  
"Perhaps," sugggested the knight, "You should report to me. I will relay your message to him later."  
  
"I would," scowled Amarant. "But I'd hate to see a grown man cry."  
  
Steiner set his mouth in a firm line, "Listen, you-"  
  
"There won't be a later, if I can't see Zidane. Now," pressed Amarant, feeling his patience wearing thin.  
  
"Very well," huffed the captain of the Pluto Knights. "Then I'll let that accursed monkey deal with you, instead."  
  
Amarant, naturally, did not say anything in return, but followed Steiner at a distance, as the knight climbed the stone stairway. However, there was to be no trip into any royal chamber, or perhaps a conference room, for as the two reached the top of the steps, a muffled exclaimation was heard from behind a nearby door.  
  
Almost at once, Steiner pushed the tall bandit to one side. But before Amarant could comment, the twin doors to the large, adjoining hall burst open, to reveal a very flustered, and angry-looking Dagger. Either she didn't see Amarant and Steiner, or she didn't care, for she flew past them and paused at the top of the stairs. Amarant stared at her, standing just to her left.   
  
Zidane, of course, was the one to appear next. Grinning foolishly, he skidded to a halt and crossed his arms. Unlike the queen, he was quick to spot Amarant, and the red-faced Steiner. He tilted his head to one side, "Hello Amarant." He nodded, briskly. "Rusty."  
  
Startled, and finally appearing to realize who was standing so close to her, Dagger spun to her left. She leapt back with a gasp. She put a hand to her chest, and breathed heavily a number of times, befor elifting her head to look at Amarant, "Don't....scare me like that!" she half-squeaked.  
  
Zidane's grin grew wider, "He is kinda intimidating."  
  
"Keep your worthless, low-life comments out of my-" Steiner began, shaking his fist.  
  
The former thief shrugged, and interrupted the knight, "I was talking about the hulking, evil-glaring, seven-foot tall man in front of you, Rusty."  
  
Steiner shut up.  
  
"Oh, Zidane...." Dagger sighed, and turned to face him. "Look, that comment would have been touching, if you'd not called me 'Sarah'!"  
  
"It was an accident!" Zidane insisted, gesturing with his hands. "I swear it! You look so much like that girl I knew. It was an honest mistake!"  
  
Again, the queen sighed, "Did this have to happen so soon....? I thought you would have changed! And look now, we're fighting again, because you still seem so keenly interested on other girls!"  
  
Zidane smiled, sheepishly, "It....makes you jealous, then?"  
  
"Oh!" Dagger huffed, and stuck her hands on her hips. "Tell me your kidding!"  
  
Zidane scratched the back of his neck, innocently, "All right, I was-"  
  
"Terra is alive."  
  
It came from nowhere, stuck in the middle of a subject almost humorous. Amarant hadn't meant to say it then, but his mounting annoyance and fury had forced the words from his mouth. He'd wanted to talk to Zidane in private, where only he could hear the sad news. He hadn't wanted to drag Dagger, or even Steiner into this mess. It was Zidane's home planet -- he would have to take care of it. By himself.  
  
Almost.  
  
All three heads turned towards the tall bandit, and for several moments, no one spoken. Then, falteringly, Zidane spoke up, "E-excuse me?"  
  
"I saw it," Amarant informed him, deciding that now that he'd said it, he would have to follow up on the matter. "It hasn't been destroyed. It still seeths with life, and yet it's full of death. How can I describe it?" He lifted his hands slightly, to show his own confusion. "It's....alive, but dying. Growing...but, well.....dying."  
  
"Amarant...." Dagger's voice was strangely unnerved. "You're not someone to usually joke around, but this is a bad time to start, please."  
  
Amarant shook his head, "A bad time, maybe. But I'm certainly not starting anything, let alone a joke. This is for real."  
  
"Whoa," said Zidane, blinking back his bewilderment. "Back up for a sec. Did you just say TERRA was....alive?"  
  
Amarant crossed his arms, "In a matter of speaking."  
  
Zidane's mouth dropped open, "WHAT?!?!"  
  
"Zidane, let us not overreact," began Steiner, turning his glare on Amarant. "I have a feeling this rascal is up to something."  
  
Amarant ignored him.  
  
"Hello?" Zidane, half-cried. "I'd like to listen to what he has to say!"  
  
Dagger did not say anything. She had gone pale.  
  
Amarant, however, sighed under his breath. He hated explaining things. And judging by their puzzled, unbelieving expressions, it was going to be a long time before they understood anything. It was too bad he would have to think of better, brief explanation. After all, some things were meant to be short.  
  
Like victories, for instance.  
  
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(Don't get mad! Ok, all right, so I didn't cross over yet. But this'll be one of my longer, more entertaining fanfictions, right? I'll get it next time though. Don't worry! *grin* I'm NOT going another chapter without allowing Vegeta and Amarant to exchange their comments *evil grin* BWAHAHAHAHA! Ehehe, Ok, I promise. I will NEVER compare Zidane to Goku again. *ehem*) 


	3. Decisions, Decisions....

I don't own Final Fantasy IX. I don't own Dragon Ball Z. I just DON'T! *runs away, bawling* It's not FAAAIIIIIR!  
  
Contrary to what SOMEONE *ahem* who will remain nameless, and although they're very annoying, they're right. I'll add a few DBZ charcters like Tien, and Yamcha. Maybe Puar, if he behaves (hehe). But only EIGHT characters from DBZ and eight from FF9 will be, um, well, important in this fanfic. For a GOOD reason, too. Don't worry -- I'm not brushing off the few characters that some may wanna see take part, it's just....one at a time! lol.  
  
(Ah, we begin as Amarant tells his tale....Too bad he's not much of a storyteller. I'm sorry. I really really am, but there will be no crossing over just yet. It's a long, long fanfic, let's just say. This chapter's mainly a big discussion about what's going to happen, on both worlds. "Another world" and Gaia are being threatened by some kind of power....What will happen next? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z.....! Hehe, ok, enough kidding. It's just, the two groups of people can't just leave without discussing it, can they? Right, they can't. *grin* Ehehe....sorry. Will Zidane give in? Will Vegeta agree to this "foolish" plan? *suspenseful music* Ack! *hugs her stereo* Why do I find that I have to protect my evil/suspenseful/happy music player all the time? NO kick! *sigh* I'm always like this. Too hyper to be true, eh? )  
  
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"If anyone interrupts me, I'll leave. Just keep your mouths shut, and I'll be more than glad to explain in peace. Of course, I'll make it short. I don't like details, anyway. To be brief, Terra is alive. Don't look at me like that, Zidane -- I'll get to point. I know two definite things. One: Terra is alive. Two: There's someone there that is.....putting it frankly, calling for help. It's sad, actually. They're crying, and calling for help, literally sounding torn to pieces, in pain, dying perhaps. Like anyone would hear them. Stop glaring at me, because I'm just being honest. If I were in the middle of a vast, burned-out world that probably supplies no food or regualr breathing air, I'd call for help, too.............Damn, you know me too well. Quit stalling me, or I'll cut the explaination here."  
  
"How do I know this? There's an obvious question -- How I know all this. Out of all people, Dagger, you have to be the bright one. I've been having dreams. Shut up, I'm warning you, I'm not interested in being scoffed at. The word 'dream' is the closest I can come to what I've experienced. Out of all people, they have to reach me. I'm sure you all understand. Yeah. Thank you. They're very close. I don't know what that means -- it's just what they said. I'm hoping, no I'm assuming that they're still alive, despite the fact that these.....dreams stopped more than three days ago. That's right -- the fourth night after leaving Alexandria, the visions hit me."  
  
Everyone stared for what seemed to surpass minutes. Amarant followed up with a rather, know-it-all smirk, "It's in ruins, but it's crawling with monsters. Somehow, they survived. However they managed that is actaully beyond my way of thinking. So, if anyone has any questions, I'll take them now."  
  
"What the HECK are you talking about?" cried Zidane, so suddenly that it seemed to make the entire room echo with his voice.  
  
"I won't repeat myself," Amarant growled.  
  
"That accursed planet!" grumbled Steiner, breaking the awkwardness of the matter. "I mean, no offense, Zidane, but this is truly too terrible, on such a day! Prin....Your Majesty, please, take no heed of this....this can be sorted out well in the end...."  
  
"But Steiner...." said Dagger softly. "Amarant mentioned somehow seeking help, didn't he? What if this person is in a terrible need? What if he or she dies?"  
  
For a moment, the knight looked rather humbled, "It....it is no concern of ours. It is probably a trap....Your Majesty, this is a happy day for you. Do not-"  
  
"I think I'm actually beginning to understand," Zidane interrupted. "When I was at the Iifa Tree....well, you all know what happened. I have...we have Kuja to thank for it and all, but hey, he never said anything about how he managed to survive Terra's 'destruction'. Maybe it wasn't destroyed completely after all."  
  
"So what do you intend to do?" said Amarant, leaning carelessly on the nearest available wall. "'I can't just walk away. It goes against my nature,' Zidane. That's why I came to you."  
  
"So you can ruin the happiest day of my life?" Zidane grumbled, and planted his hands on his hips. "You came to me because you thought that I'd run headlong into my homeplanet to save some poor soul crying to YOU for help? Think about it carefully -- isn't that just a little childish?"  
  
"Amarant's always acting like a child!" came a new, familiar voice. A head of violet hair and a single horn appeared at the lip of the last stair. Eiko grinned as she knelt on her step, resting her head in the crook of her palms and staring almost boredly at the group of 'coversing adults'. "Of course I've never heard him talk so much at one time."  
  
"Miss Eiko, you should not be-" began Steiner, shaking a fist.  
  
"Steiner, please," said Dagger, shaking her head. "She has a right to be here than anyone else......It's the fact she's eavesdropping that bothers me."  
  
"Sorry," said Eiko, sullenly. Slowly, she stood up and lifted her eyes first to Dagger, and then Amarant. "Don't worry, I heard every word. But I thought you guys knew that Terra wasn't destroyed. That's why I never told you."  
  
"..........."  
  
"..........."  
  
"..........."  
  
No one said a word. The silence nearly became overwhelming, before Eiko's sigh split the air. "Great," she mumbled.  
  
"Excuse me?" Dagger inquired, sounding rather innocently confused.  
  
"Well if you'd asked, I could've TOLD you that Terra was alive!" Eiko accused, rolling her eyes. "That's what Mog told me, anyway. Or....or Terra, should I say. You know....Terra Homing is the name of my eidolon's.....Mog.....do I have to explain?"  
  
"No," said Zidane, and crossed his arms. "But you do have to tell us what Amarant can't."  
  
"Who said I can't tell you anything else?" demanded the bandit.  
  
Zidane turned around again to glare at him, "......There's more?"  
  
"Of course there's more. What kind of visions do you think I have, Zidane?"  
  
But the genome just shook his head, appearing more confused than poor Dagger, even, "Just....explain, Amarant."  
  
"All right, fine."  
  
Everyone was quite silent as Amarant stood straight once again, and turned his eyes around the lot of them. Another minute of silence followed, before he picked up where he left off.  
  
"There's not much more to say," he said, shrugging. "A great deal of Terra was destroyed by Kuja, thought not all of it. When I first heard this 'voice' or whatever the hell it is, I figured it had to be coming from some untouched part of the planet. Somehow, I got closer to those areas, but the farhter from the destruction I went, the fainter the voice. Get it? This 'voice' is somewhere in the middle of a heap of flames, embers, and crushed crystal. That's exactly why I'm leaving this little journey up to you."  
  
"Me," confirmed Zidane, almost placidly.  
  
"No, Zidane, he's leaving it to me," said Eiko, rolling her eyes for the second time. "Of course, you! I mean, you wouldn't really be going alone, or whatnot, because I'm going, too! Dagger'll come, right, Dagger?"  
  
"I think I'm missing the point..." said Dagger, still lost. "We're leaving, so soon? But....there's Alexandria, and the kingdom to take care of....and the banquet's tonight. What about the celebration?"  
  
"I agree with Her Highness," said Steiner solemnly. "Queen Garnet cannot go anywhere at the present time. She has the most important meetings and matters at hand to discuss. And Zidane would not want to leave, I am sure. He has only returned-"  
  
"Then perhaps, if you're finished interruptin' me, I'll say the last bit," said Amarant, snorting.  
  
The rest of the group fell silent.  
  
"You don't have much of a choice, Zidane, Dagger...." Amarant continued. "This isn't something you'll want to ignore. This is your average, not-every-day phenomenon. I'm surprised at you all. For all of the time we've wasted here, none of you have even thought to ask me what that 'voice' just might be saying. Never mind, I'll tell you now. It was, like I seem to be repeating, asking for help. But it mentioned something like 'unexpected disaster', and 'Gaia's destruction'. That's not the most shocking part, in fact....Another world was mentioned, and some kind of 'evil power'. It's like this: Don't go, be killed along with the rest of Gaia while some 'evil power' takes over the world. Go, and just maybe find out what the hell this is all about."  
  
"Evil power....Another world? Gaia's destruction?" Zidane repeate, eyes slowling widening in completely shock. They soon clouded over with sarcasm. "Geez, Amarant. Don't you think you could have informed us of this a little earlier?"  
  
Amarant didn't say anything.  
  
"Another world....another world?" Dagger thought aloud. "But Amarant, there are no other worlds. There's just Gaia, and Terra, isn't there?"  
  
"Until we went to Oeilivert, that's what we thought about Gaia," commented Amarant, smirking. "'There's only one world, and that's Gaia,' You won't believe how many times I've heard it, and, very much like the rest of you, believed it....until we went there. It's annoying. If there's another world we didn't know about, there could be yet another. And maybe even another after that....Hell, there's probably thousands of planets that none of us know about. Don't give me that 'There's only Terra and Gaia' crap, because I am officially not interested in hearing gibberish."  
  
All, save Dagger, stared at Amarant in bewliderment. The bandit had a peeved, take-no-nonsense expression on his face, as was always expected, but he was also serious about what he'd just finished saying. This was hard to believe -- Amarant never cared about things like 'other worlds' or even another persons thoughts for that matter. All of a sudden, he did? It wasn't like him. At all.  
  
"Well I, for one, am interested in this new world," said Eiko, crossing her arms stubbornly. "What's it called, Amarant?"  
  
Amarant glared down at the seve-year-old, and thought carefully, remembering the name that the 'voice' had described to him. He leaned against the wall again, his regular smirk returning, almost mockingly, "Earth."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Gohan's mad again."  
  
Goten's pouting voice reached ChiChi's ears. Surprised, she turned around, still holding the plate she'd been scrubbing and found a very upset little super saij-in leaning on the kitchen doorway. His mouth was set in a stubborn line, and his eyes were cast at the floor. ChiChi felt her nerves begin to break,"Goten, for the last time! You're not to be a super saij-in while inside the house! Get out of the ridiculous form before you break something, young man."  
  
Pouting all the more, Goten's hair returned to normal, and he sighed his depression, "But Mom, I'm not even doing anything."  
  
"Nonsense," said ChiChi, returning to her chore. "What do you mean, 'Gohan's mad'? I thought you went to train with him again."  
  
She didn't want to be so uncaring. It hurt her to see Goten so upset, but she was still angry at them both for losing the tournament, and the fact that Gohan continued to train Goten didn't help either. Maybe if she made her disturbance clear to them, they'd at least apologize.  
  
"Gohan won't train with me, Mom," complain Goten. "He keeps complaining that Vegeta's gonna turn Trunks against us, or something like that. And he trains so hard, that he cracked another cliff with his fist! He wasn't even super-saij-in, either. When I asked him, he said or me to go play in my room for today. He wasn't mean, but Mom...."  
  
"Well, clearly he's just getting over your father's disappearance again, Goten," said ChiChi, softly this time. "You should leave him alone for the time now, and let him think about it. Vegeta being the way he is wasn't helping him, either, so if you see him again, tell him to stay away from there. You can see Trunks when he comes here, but I don't want you or Gohan going to Capsule Corp. again."  
  
"Awwww, Mom!" argued Goten, getting to his feet.   
  
"Don't argue, and go tell your brother that dinner will be ready in a few minutes," said ChiChi, placing another plate under her cloth. Just as Goten leapt out of the door, she remembered, "And don't get in the way of his training, Goten!" she cried after him.  
  
"I won't!" he called back, and was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wow! This is so neat!"  
  
Trunks tilted his head to look closer at the streaming, shuddering ball of blue light. In the bright, day sun, it's power was a lot calmer, and it's colour's much duller, but the cool radiance of it's ablilities could be felt clearly by both father and son. Vegeta stood behind both Bulma and Trunks, his arms crossed. He grunted at the boy's enthusiasm, and smirked, "Don't get too carried away, Trunks. It's power is meaningless. It's an empty portal, after all."  
  
"I still haven't seen one before...." said Trunks, turning his back on the ball of energy. "I wonder where it led to before.....?"  
  
"Some wreckage of an old alien ship," Vegeta snorted. "Certainly nothing to stand in my way of training."  
  
"Useless or not," Bulma sighed. "It's on my lawn, and it has to go."  
  
"It will go away on it's own. In time," said Vegeta, turning towards the training capsule. He was silent as he began to head for it. But Trunks' voice reached his ears, causing him to pause.   
  
"I dunno, Dad....It feels....angry to me. I don't think that it's useless, like you said."  
  
"What," said Vegeta, tone icy to show his bitterness, "You choose to argue against your father's words now?"  
  
Trunks shrugged, "I'm not arguing. But you're wrong."  
  
Bulma giggled, and quickly covered her mouth when Vegeta snapped his eyes towards her, "Sorry, Vegeta," she said, struggling not to laugh again. "But he gets his stubborness from you, not me. Blame yourself for this."  
  
"I'll blame no one but you," growled the saij-in prince. "I'm not interested in some emtpy portal. If you do not wish to help me train, then stay inside, Trunks."  
  
"I want to stay out here," Trunks replied. "This energy spehere....it's kinda wierd..." He slowly took a step forward, and then another. After a few more paces, he was but an arm's length from the ball of light. He seemed almost entranced by it. He didn't move as he studied it even more, almost as if the light were paralyzng him.  
  
"Trunks!" warned Bulma. "Please be careful."  
  
"Do what you want," spat the saij-in. "I am going to train."  
  
He had failed to notice that Trunks' eyes had gone blank, and his arm was slowly reaching out to touch the blue sparks of energy. Bulma was the one to notice this, but it was, unfourtunately, much too late for her to dive forward and pull him back. Trunks fingertips brushed the edge of the sphere, and a low, almost haunting chill abruptly filled the air.  
  
"Trunks!" cried Bulma, leaping forward. She stumbled and fell on her knees, "Don't!"  
  
Vegeta turned around just in time to see Trunks' hand submerge completely into the swirling blueness. His eyes grew wide with shock, "Trunks, get away from there!"   
  
The boy ignored him, still seemingly paralyzed with with the energy. He took another step forward, his entire arm gone from sight now. Another step. Trunk's right side had disappeared into the flashing light. Before either parent could say another word, Trunks had vanished, and the sphere had grown to twice it's normal size. It hummed with a hungry power now, beginning to swirl faster, and faster still.  
  
Wordless now, Vegeta forgot who he was, for that brief instant, "Trunks!"   
  
The saij-in prince leapt into the air and charged the sphere, fists drawn back for an attack. Mid-air, the saij-in's temper caught control of him, and in a fury, he transformed super saij-in. This all occured in about four seconds, for in the next instant, Vegeta had collided with the giant mass of energy. Bulma fell back, holding her arms to shield her face from the blinding flash. It lasted for about twelve seconds, and then disipitated, as if it never happened.  
  
Vegeta was on his feet, his arms up as well to protect his eyes. Another moment passed before he finally lowered them, face clearl expressing his shock.  
  
The energy sphere, or the 'portal', floated just inches above the ground, the same it had been before. The only signs that it had done anything at all, was the slightly charred ground and burnt grass.   
  
And Trunks was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
(OMG, what happened to Trunks? Hehe, I don't know. Truly, I kinda do, but I really don't. It's hard to explain, actaully. Hmmm...who should go? Out of the eight I mean....Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, Bulma, ChiChi, Goten....any ideas? Give me a few more characters you want me to add, people! Pwease! *grin* NO old characters that don't exist in this stage, please. Just...someone you know is ALIVE right now, lol. Oh, and we'll see about Goku....*thinks carefully* yeah, leave a spot for him. I'll decided later.....*smiles*) 


	4. It's only begun....

I live in Canada. I love Canada. I eat and sleep in Canada. I think and write in Canada. I go to school in Canada. I…..  
  
Anyways, this is just kinda getting off track. What I MEAN to say is that I live in Canada. Not Japan. So if I live here, then how can I own some big- time, crazed-for game that was originated in Japan? Eh? Anyway. Yeah, lol, I don't. May all pity my soul if never grow up….sigh….  
  
Well, since you're all so IMPATIENT, I'll have to write the next chapter! Ehehee….I was gonna wait until I could actually html format my stories successfully, but neva mind. I'll just have to do the crossover NOW, with my FORMAT looking so ugly. But hey, if you all don't mind, then I don't mind. Oh, and I've been wanting to say this for a long time: If you think I'm a little crazy, then go and do so. It doesn't actually mean that I AM insane, but….Grrrr, you know what? If I could get my html working, I could italic everything that's been in caps so far. But I can't, so my writing looks like I have some kind of creepy CAPS LOCK disorder or something…..Oh well….  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This. Is. Insane," quipped the seven-year-old, swinging her legs back and forth. She sat on the very edge of Dagger's 'queen-sized' bed, with an expression too determinable for the queen's comfort. "I'm going to some stupid cave because Zidane is suddenly interested in Terra and some stupid world call Earth?"  
  
"He wants to know everything….. if anything about Terra that he can, Eiko," sighed Dagger, neatly unfolding her orange traveling suit. "I don't know if he cares about Earth or not, and to be honest, I don't either. But I couldn't expect this day to last. That's why I'm going, because now that he's back, I'm not leaving him."  
  
Eiko grinned, "Can't let him outta your sight, huh?"  
  
"Not quite," Dagger, replied, concentrating on remembering the place she'd put her Mythril Racket…  
  
"Well, I'm going. Father…I mean, Regent Cid won't like it, but that's not gonna keep me from going or anything, right?"  
  
Silently, the Alexandrian queen nodded, and unhooked a long, mythril rod with a neatly-stitched scoop on one end from a sheath in her closet. She was unaware that she was smiling with satisfaction, until Eiko's voice, literally dripped with sarcasm, reached her ears again.  
  
"You missed battling that much, huh?"  
  
Startled, the queen turned around, nearly dropping her weapon. Before she could reply, Eiko stood up and went on, "Well, what about Alexandria? What's everyone gonna say when their queen and….um, well, the one that they're kinda, well, assuming to….you know….Um, Zidane leaves? Along with the Steiner, and Quina? Of course, they wont know if I'm gone. I'M just the princess of another kingdom far, far away, and…"  
  
"I'm hoping they won't disagree when I put Beatrix in charge of the kingdom," said Dagger, tossing her racket on the bed. "I'm going to get changed now…Eiko, would you do me a favor?"  
  
"Huh?" Eiko spun around, "Beatrix? Does she know that you're gonna do this?"  
  
For yet another time, Dagger sighed, "Yes, she knows. Of course she knows. But Eiko…."  
  
Eiko crossed her arms, and huffed, "What is it?"  
  
"I want you to….inform Freya with a letter through Mognet. And I need you to find Vivi, too. I've already arranged for his sons to be taken care of. Ruby and the others agreed that they'd have fun looking after 'such an adorable buch of cuties'. Quina's already packed, Amarant's….you know him, he's always ready. And…."  
  
"What?" Eiko yelped, "EVERYONE is coming? But….why? Why does….Waitaminute….Since when did Amarant say that he was going? I mean, c'mon, he wouldn't say that unless he was forced to, and you know it."  
  
Dagger shrugged, "He agreed to take us to where we need to go. He didn't say if he was going to come with us to….wherever it is. I mean….I think he'd taking us somewhere where we can get to Terra. I don't know how but-"  
  
"Never mind," said Eiko, suddenly. "I don't understand, and I don't think I want to. I'll find them, but….Dagger, why IS everyone going with us? I don't see how we need eight people…..well, two people, two summoners, a genome, a Qu, a Burmecian and a black mage to go to Terra."  
  
Dagger's smile slowly faded into a look of concern, "I'm not sure…..But Zidane says that….'It's the team that tackled Terra. No one more, or no on less would work.'"  
  
Eiko left, and Dagger prepared. Only, there was something, or rather a someone that they had both failed to notice altogether. Someone slunk away from the queen's chambers that night, with a head swirling in confusion. Someone left the castle, and sat on the docks of Alexadria, with their legs dangling in the water. Someone clutched her axe tightly in both hands, with her amber eyes staring defiantly into the clouded water below her feet. Someone fought back her hurt tears, and raced into the Evil Forest that night.  
  
Someone had a plan.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Stop acting like you don't care!"  
  
Vegeta continued to eat, cooling ignoring the rantings of his 'foolish wife'.  
  
"I can't believe that you're not going after him! He could be anywhere, on some stupid planet that's crawling with alien creeps! I don't want him going through what I had to go through, and if it's the last thing I do, I'll follow him to the world's brink to get him back! What if he's in danger? What if he's somewhere worse than Namek? What if he's ON Namek, or some floating piece of broken planet drifting towards a black hole?"  
  
"Then he'll have to destroy it," spat that saiya-jin, between mouthfuls.  
  
"Don't give me that super saiya-jin power crap," said Bulma, as coldly as she could manage. "You're only son, and if I've heard you quite correctly, the rightful heir to ruling over all saiya-ins…..and you can't go after him through some dumb portal."  
  
"He'll be fine, if he has saiya-jin blood in his veins," said Vegeta, finishing his meal, almost reluctantly. "I've heard enough."  
  
"Well I haven't!" cried Bulma, angrily swiping the plate form under his nose. She half-ran over to the sink and dumped the dish into the water. Then she attacked it with a cloth, gritting her teeth to keep herself from crushing the porcelein beneath her hands. Vegeta smirked, and coolly left the kitchen. Moments later, Bulma heard the television click on, and some rather startling explosions followed.  
  
By the time she had finished the dishes, and ate her own share of the meal, the clock on the kitchen wall read 8:00, and the sky outside was an eerie shade of purple. Summer nights were always warm. The thought, miraculously, cooled her seething thoughts, and made her think a little more clearly. Wordless, she turned her eyes from the window, to the kitchen doorway.  
  
"Vegeta…."  
  
The saiya-jin prince lifted the remote and hit the power button to the TV. However, just the sound of his mate's voice angered him enough to let his strength slip. The TV went off, all right, but not in quite the manner he'd expected it to.  
  
Bulma stood in the doorway, staring expressionlessly at the pile of melted plastic and burnt wires that had once been her brand new television. Strangely, she didn't feel that she cared that her husband had not only ruined their only TV, but charred a nice line of destruction clear across the floor, and created a gaping hole in the wall. She knew that it was bound to happen, sooner or later.  
  
Vegeta felt her pressing gaze on his face again, and glared at the floor, "I am not entering that portal, woman. I refuse to pay for any son of mine's mistake."  
  
"It was your own mistake, by letting him get so close, Vegeta," said Bulma, her tone unusually calm. "And making up for someone else's mistake just sometimes has to be done, in a lot of cases."  
  
"Is that so?" came his haughty reply.  
  
"More than so," Bulma's gaze burned into the back of his head. "Whether you want to believe it or not. For once, in a long eight years, you've eaten your dinner without him sitting across from you. For once, you've gone to watch television without him to complain about the program. You simply don't care."  
  
"That's right," said Vegeta, standing up. Regardless to the fact he wanted to leave, he did not move, "I don't."  
  
"That's all right," said Bulma, uncrossing her arms. "I don't know what you're thinking, Veggie-chan….Without Trunks, you're all I have left. Don't think that I want to live alone with my child's father, when he won't perform what he's expected to do for his own son."  
  
Slowly, the saiya-jin lifted his head to glower at her, "You are acting strange."  
  
"However strange," sighed Bulma, "It's true. You just stay here, and train, Vegeta. But I, for one, am going to do what a mother should."  
  
And that, for one moment, as Vegeta watched he leave the doorway, was that. The saiya-jin prince knew that she was angry, and that she wanted him to follow his son….Did it touch any kind of emotion inside of his mind? No, of course not. Vegeta stood, thinking, after he had turned to face the empty doorway. It was a simple matter of seconds before he realized what Bulma had left to do.  
  
A panic seized his thoughts. What was she THINKING??? Not even his arrogance could keep him rooted to the spot, when he knew that Bulma was going to perform a task he'd stubbornly refused to do. It wasn't that it angered him, but it opened something else he was unfamiliar to. Nevertheless, he was out of the house, and racing to see something he already doubted to arrive in time to stop.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Freya stood beside Quina, and in turn, Eiko stood beside her. At Eiko's side, was Stiener, accompanied by Vivi. Each set of eyes watched Zidane pace back and forth across the ground. The gates of Alexandria and the city of Alexandria itself lie behind them. And Dagger sat in the grass, off by herself. She too, followed Zidane's movements to and fro on the plateau just embracing the mountainside. It had been a mere day's journey across Alexandria Plains to reach the spot Amarant had described. The hulking mountains themselves loomed just ahead.  
  
"He said he'd be right back," muttered Zidane, finally pausing to tilt his head back and stare at the mountaintop. "He's been gone an hour…"  
  
"Perhaps he's been delayed by the monsters?" suggested Freya, hearing the clear doubtfulness in his voice.  
  
"I don't think so," said Zidane, shaking his head and placing his hands on his hips. "He can handle them easier than I can."  
  
"Zidane…." sighed Dagger, and she got to her feet. "He will be coming….In fact, that might be him over there."  
  
Zidane followed her gesture, to see a slow-moving figure heading towards them. He grinned, "Either him, or a walking tree."  
  
"Zidane!" Dagger scolded. "Stop being so….mean."  
  
But the genome didn't reply. At first, Dagger assumed it was because he was simply being naïve, but befor she could open her mouth to comment, he held up and hand to point, "Well, it has to be him."  
  
Dagger thought for a moment, and tried to make out the slightly-lit form of….of something trailing Amarant at a ten yard's distance or so. It was too hard to make out, but she knew that it had to be something associated with magic…."Why?"  
  
Zidane shrugged, "Giant spheres of blue light don't normally follow walking trees around for the fun of it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was also dinnertime for a family of saiya-jins and human mother alike. ChiChi carelessly sipped her tea, watching her two sons over the brim of his cup. Several seconds passed before she decided that she couldn't keep her secret much longer. She set down her saucer, and cleared her throat. Gohan and Goten both look up from their bowls.  
  
"Gohan-" ChiChi began.  
  
She never had a chance to say another word. There was no polite knock, or any knock for that matter, but the front door simply seemed to explode, as a soaked, infuriated saiya-jin prince barged into the house. He only managed to stumble a few steps before falling to his knees, head tilted towards the ground.  
  
"Vegeta!" Gohan cried, leaping out of his chair. Goten said nothing, but went after Gohan as he dove out of the room and into the foyer. Clearly as startled as them both, ChiChi dropped the tea she was holding, and followed both her sons.  
  
"What happened? Are you all right?" Gohan was asking the burned, scarred saiya-jin. Vegeta was a clear mess, and quite sapped of his powers it seemed.  
  
"Don't…" he growled. "Get…away from me. I came here, not looking for help, but to…inform you." Vegeta, painful as it seemed, stood on his feet. His face was cut, and bleeding profoundly, but it didn't seem to matter. "It took them both. From me, from the yard….they're gone. I'm following….And I want you come."  
  
"It?" said Gohan. "Vegeta….what are you talking about?"  
  
"The portal," spat Vegeta. "The damn energy sphere. Outside of the training capsule….took Trunks, but I didn't follow. That stupid woman followed him instead. I went as well, but…"  
  
Goten looked up at his older brother, "What's wrong with him, Gohan?"  
  
"Be quiet…" Vegeta ordered through clenched teeth. "Gohan….you're coming with me. No, you're all coming…Kakkarot it there. Bulma….Trunks….and Kakkarot. I saw them, before it tried to kill me. It doesn't matter….you are coming with me."  
  
Gohan, being Gohan, turned to ChiChi, "Mom-"  
  
"No, absolutely not. Vegeta, I'm sorry, but this whole portal thing will have to wait unt – Kakkorot? Goku? Goku's THERE? Where? Where is Goku, and what have you done to him Vegeta!"  
  
To all of their surprise, Vegeta chuckled. He chuckled, and turned his back on them, "Nothing….nothing at all. It seems the King Kai and his friend….never mind….it's no longer important. Bulma…"  
  
Gohan stared, dumbfounded. He'd never seen Vegeta so insistent before. He knew that the proud saiya-jin prince wasn't asking for anything, but demanding it. However he was doing it, it was obviously clear that he was…concerned, to but it lightly, about wherever Bulma and Trunks had gone. It shocked him.  
  
"Mom," he began again. "I'll explain later. I'm going to go with Vegeta, but…I don't think that you and Goten-"  
  
"They have to come," said Vegeta, suddenly. "There are strangers, as well. My family….Kakkarot's family…and that foolish Namekian….Get Krillin, get the Namekian…Piccolo, and come."  
  
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(Ok, I'm SORRY! Oh man, but I am so out of time. I PROMISE that I'll finish tonight or tommorow though, ok? If I had more time, I'd do it now, but….the corssover's gonna have to wait! ^_^) 


	5. Confusion and confrontation....

I DO NOT own FF9 or Dragon Ball Z. *sobs*  
  
I have practically zero time to write a long header. Yes, the crossover happens....sorta. Just read on my friend and tell me what you think! (sorry I had to finish it in a hurry....)  
  
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"So....what is it?"  
  
Amarant was careful to ignore the note of annoyance in Zidane's voice. Instead of acting scornful him, which was everything his conscience bade him to do, he regarded the genome with an arrogant smirk, "It's some kind of portal, or what not. I don't know. Whatever it is, it's alive, and it won't stop following me."  
  
Zidane blinked, ".....Alive..."  
  
The bandit shrugged, "That's what I said."  
  
"It's alive, it's a portal, and it's following you...." the genome confirmed, repeating Amarant's claims. "Let me gues....we're supposed to use it to go to Terra."  
  
"Probably," said Amarant.  
  
Dagger moved up beside Zidane, and stared, her eyes wide. The 'portal' simply hovered, crackling with bursts of blue energy. Her face was pale, and her lips barely moved when she spoke, "Alive....how do you....know that it's....alive?"  
  
Amarant shrugged again, "It beats me. But this is our splitting point....I'm leaving before I get transported to some other world that I have nothing to do with."  
  
A sigh escaped Zidane, "Right. Well, I never expected you to stay anyway. You should at least see us off, if you have any kind of humane sense inside that thick, red bush."  
  
"Zidane..." Dagger warned through her teeth, finally managing to tear her eyes from the blue light.  
  
Zidane noticed the queen's excessive blinking, and her small shake of her head, "Is there something wrong? You're...crying."  
  
"No..." whispered Dagger, and cleared her throat. "I mean...no, there's nothing wrong. I'm not crying....it's that light. It was like it was....talking to me. It wanted me to reach out, touch it. I think that it really is....alive."  
  
"Um...." said a small voice from behind. Eiko approached all three and lifted her head, plaicng her hands impatiently on her hips, "You're leaving us out of this conversation! So do we go through it or not? I mean....I don't wanna be rude or anything, but you DID pull us away from our homes, interrupt whatever we were doing, and now you're taking us all back to Terra....uh, besides Amarant.....So what do we do?"  
  
"We'll take a vote," said Zidane, simply. "All those in favour-"  
  
YOU WILL COME.  
  
Simutaneously, Dagger, Zidane, and Eiko leapt back in surprise. Amarant stepped away, shielding his face with one arm, as the 'portal' began to expand and flash a threatening, teal colour. A low hum filled the air, and the greenish-blue sphere began to advance on the group. Zidane stumbled and fell onto his backside. Immediatly, he was back up again and retreating with his friends. The portal banked sharply and released a small bolt of....whatever it was made of. It curled, reaching out to seize the queen.  
  
TERRA IS EMPTY. REPOPULATION IS VITAL. COMUNICATION IS UNECCESSARY. GAIAN SOULS WILL FILL TERRA WITH LIFE, AND RESTORE THE PLANET'S CHAIN.  
  
"What?!" Zidane yelled, and took a brave leap forward, to protect Dagger from the blue tentacle. As if startled, the portal hung back, and hovered, humming in uncertainty.  
  
"Well," came Eiko's sharp voice, "At least we know it's alive."  
  
RESISTANCE IS TRIVIAL. REASONS ARE IRRELEVANT. THE GUARDIANS ARE UNFORGOTTEN. TERRA IS BORN UNDER THE MASTER'S WAKE.   
  
"What if we don't want to leave?" demanded the genome, slowly hindering with Dagger one step behind him. "You can't make us come!"  
  
YOU SOUGHT FOR A PORTAL. I AM FOUR. GAIA. EARTH. TERRA. SEALMRA. ONE IS VACANT. EXCESS SUPPLIES WILL BE REQUIRED. TERRA DESIRES SOULS. NINE SOULS FROM EACH PLANET. TWENTY-SEVEN BEINGS. ONE WILL PERISH IF RESISTANCE IS FULFILLED.  
  
"Twenty-seven....Four planets?" said Zidane, freezing in his tracks. "I don't understand."  
  
ENDURE THE LIGHT. OPPOSISTION IS FUTILE.  
  
"What...?" Suddenly, it struck him. Zidane turned his head away, forcing the light form his eyes, "Don't do what it says!" he shouted. "It'll swallow you!"  
  
ONE WILL PERISH. IS THIS WHAT YOU DESIRE?  
  
Then, without further warning, the sphere exploded into a hundred, crystal-like strings of electricity, each attached to a buzzing core too bright to even look at. There was a sudden snapping noise, and one stroke of blue light disappeared. They could hear a muffled exclaimation of surprise from Amarant, who had been, in fact the closest to the sphere. Through the gleaming brightness, the seven comrades could see the flame-haired bandit entwined within a strip of piercing energy, rendered helpless. And still, the portal hovered.   
  
DEATH IS THE TOLL FOR IGNORANCE. YOUR COMRADE WILL FACE THIS TOLL IF YOU REFUSE. IS THIS WHAT YOU DESIRE?  
  
Somewhere close behind, Zidane could hear Steiner shout his curses, and then, "I knew that planet had nothing but evil to show for it's deeds!"  
  
EVIL IS IRRELVANT. GOODNESS IS IRRELVANT. DEATH IS THE TOLL, UNLESS YOU DECIDE.  
  
"You'll take us to Terra?" cried Zidane, still blocking the extensive glare form his eyes.   
  
NINE GAIAN SOULS WILL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER--  
  
"Screw that!"  
  
The voice was unfamiliar. Abruptly, a glinting blade of what appeared to be mythril punctured the stem of electricty that imprissoned the cursing Amarant. It vanished. The moment Amarant hit the ground, he leapt back and -- to everyone's shock -- grabbed his rescuer by the collar. They heard his voice though the loud commotion, and it didn't sound very grateful.  
  
"Dammit, Corroc, if you WEREN'T my student, I'd cut your throat!"  
  
ASSAULT IS IRRELEVANT. HAVE YOU DECIDED? THE LAST SUMMONED HAS ENTERED THE PERIMETERS. NINE SOULS. NINE GAIANS.  
  
Zidane, still somewhat shaken about what had happened, turned to face Dagger. The queen, clearly trembling, but not hesitating, nodded her head. The genome was unsure of whether he'd imagined it or not, but something else told him that taking any longer could end in tragedy.  
  
"We'll go, but--"  
  
The last thing he saw was the light. And then it was gone.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What IS that?"  
  
Gohan nearly lost his concentration and dropped several meters, before he regained his balance. Nearly. Straight ahead of him, Vegeta had stopped, to float directly above something that drove a sickening, evil, unquenchable fear into Gohan's heart. The flat yard, which had once been quite empty, was now completely engulfed in a blue sea of light, wich flowed, snapped, and shrunk back again. It looked like a giant snake, searching for something, and spitting it's frusteration at it's failure  
  
"It's probably the portal Vegeta was talking about," said Goten, directly to Gohan's left. He hovered, staring wide-eyed at the squirming mass of energy. "It makes my tummy hurt."  
  
"That's where we must go," said Vegeta, as calmly as if he were talking about a trip to the beach. "It demanded nine souls. We are six. Kakkarot. Bulma. Trunks. That is the quota, I believe."  
  
Gohan narrowed his eyes, "Since when do you take orders from anyone?"  
  
"I never obeyed an order!" snapped the saiya-jin prince. "If you do not want to see your fool-headed father, then we can always go back."  
  
"No," said Gohan, sounding all too much like Goku. "I'm going. I'll tell Mom not to go near it....yet."  
  
Goten watched with an open mouth, as his big brother dove towards the ground, heading for the tiny, almost undetectable dot that was ChiChi's car. Then he looked back up at Vegeta. But before the seven-year-old had a chance to talk, he felt Krillin's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't get angry at him," said Goku's friend. "He's already had it bad, I suppose. I only wish Eighteen could have come..."  
  
"She would not count as a soul," said Piccolo, on Krillin's right. "I suppose that's the only reason I am here."  
  
Vegeta, though he knew the comment was directed at him, was completely silent.  
  
"No, we could use your strength, too," said Krillin, smirking. "Hey, I wonder is Goku will really be there?"  
  
"Ooooh!" cried Goten. "Daddy! I wanna see him, too!"  
  
Krillin laughed, "I'm sure you will, Goten. I can't wait!"  
  
FOUR HAS COMPLETED THE TASK. YOU HAVE MINUTES. ONE TWENTY SECONDS UNTIL THE DECISION IS NO LONGER YOURS.  
  
Had their feet be planted on solid ground, Piccolo, Krillin, and Goten alike would have jumped at the booming, toneless voice.  
  
"That's quite all right," came Vegeta's cool reply. "Gohan is returning now. We're ready."  
  
"Ready?" inquired Krillin. "For what?"  
  
"Be quiet..." growled the saiya-jin prince. "I'll explain this to you later."  
  
"But what about ChiChi?" said Krillin, moving closer, almost accusingly.  
  
"She will follow."  
  
ONE HUNDRED SECONDS.  
  
"Vegeta!" Gohan rose into the spot he'd been floating before, and glared angrily at the saiya-jin. "That....that THING already took Mom! How could it-"  
  
"Silence," said Vegeta, a familiar smirk crossing his face. "It will be soon..."  
  
EIGHTY SECONDS.  
  
"What?" demanded Gohan, turning in a complete circle. "Who was that?"  
  
"It doesn't matter," said Vegeta, folding his arms. "Be patient."  
  
SIXTY SECONDS. HAVE YOU DECIDED?  
  
"Of course," spat the saiya-jin prince. "Take me to Kakkarot."  
  
"Vegeta-"  
  
Nothing but flash and a horrible, pitched noise was heard, cutting Gohan off. He could remember nothing but a surprised cry from Krillin, and then nothingness....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ouch....."  
  
"....Uh...huh?"  
  
"Curses...."  
  
Moans of both pain, and annoyance rang in Amarant's ears. Sneering, he found himself face-down, lying on something cool, and flat, and felt famliarly like stone. Grunting his irritance, he lifted his head and pulled himself to her feet, blinking at the scene around him. Had it been his imagination, or had he been swallowed in light for minutes? The tall bandit shook his head. He couldn't remember. What had happened? And where the hell was he?   
  
Suddenly, anger seized his thoughts.  
  
Terra.  
  
"This can't be happening...." he muttered, turning around to face the source of the voices. "I didn't want to come here....Zidane's gonna pay for-"  
  
Zidane, Dagger, Eiko, and the rest were undoubtedly the ones that Amarant saw, when his gaze landed on the happening behind him. The group was stirring, and Freya was the next to stand up, and look wearily around at her surroundings. But this was no what surprised him. Amarant crossed his arms. There were no longer eight people, as he'd assumed there to be. There was nearly twice that number. Six, unrecognizable figures lay sprawled across the crystal-like ground. Four of them stirred, while the other two remained quite unconscious. And one was a child....strange-looking, but a child nonetheless.  
  
"Amarant?" Freya inquired, seeming to spot him. They were standing on some strange, stone plate. Everything around them seemed to be charred ruins of what had once been crystals. "Amarant....are were....on Terra? Who are these people?"  
  
"Don't ask me..." growled the bandit, slowly unfolding his arms. "Ask your monkey friend."  
  
"Ask me what?" came Zidane's voice. He was already getting up, by the time both Amarant and Freya turned around. His eyes seemed to focus, and he spotted the strangers, in which two were already half-way on their feet. "Oh. Who are they?"  
  
The nearest stranger was on his feet now. He shook his thick, black hair, and muttered something in an unfamliar language. Abruptly, hearing the voices behind him, the man (for that's what he obviously was now) spun around to face them. Amarant stared in surprise, when his gaze locked threateningly on his own. The stranger had a very unfriendly face, and he glared directly, it appeared, at Amarant. But slowly, lingeringly, his eyes moved to the next person. Then his gaze fell on Zidane, and froze.  
  
By this time, the second stranger had gotten up. His hair, too, was black, but he almost towered over the first man. Plus, his hair was shorter, and his face much kinder. His eyes widened in surprise at the very sight of Zidane and the others.  
  
And finally, the first one spoke, his tone harsh, and rather demanding, "You have a tail!"  
  
Zidane opened his mouth, and then closed it, reconsidering his words, "Yes...What does that matter? Who are you -- some kind of alien?"  
  
To all of their surprise, the stranger chuckled and turned his head away, "Not quite. You have a tail, and therefor you must have saiya-jin blood. Give me your name."  
  
"I must have WHAT blood?" said Zidane, taking a step backwards. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Then you're not saiya-jin?" said the stranger. He looked almost disappointed. "A pity. Then who are you?"  
  
Amarant couldn't take much more of this, "We asked you first."  
  
The man's eyes snapped towards the bandit, wide with shock, "And you..."  
  
"Vegeta...." Now the second stranger spoke. His voice was younger, and his tone softer. He shook his head, "Don't be so rude to them. They might be able to help us find Bulma and Trunks. Do you guys live here? Could you tell us where we are?"  
  
"Uh...huh?" Suddenly, it seemed as if every other fallen being, human, or whatever other specie alike, began to get up. Eiko straightened herself, and looked around, evidently unimpressed, "Huh...? Who are they...?"  
  
"Hold it, hold it," said Zidane, suddenly. He scratched the back of his neck. "Let's clear this up. We're on Terra, faced with a handful of strangers, whom might I add aren't being so polite....We know THEY'RE not from Terra, because Terra was destroyed. Could they be....from Earth?"  
  
"What do you know of that planet?" demanded the first stranger, the one called 'Vegeta'.  
  
"Huh? Gohan? Where are we?"   
  
Apparently, the smaller of the three black-haired beings had awoken. He appeared, clutching the second stranger, Gohan's pantleg. He blinked up wonderingly at Amarant, and then at Freya. "Who are THEY?"  
  
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(Confusion, confusion....so sad that I should cry. Or scream. THERE, I DID THE CROSSOVER! Well, nearly, lol. I'll finished it tomorrow, as I seem to have run out of time...again. *grin* =0) x 100000) 


	6. A discusion....

For Pete's sake! I dont own Final Fantasy or Dragonball Z! I swaer, one more time that I gotta write this, and.....lol.  
  
All right, I'm working on about.....six stories right now? Seing as I got an entire March break to write, I should get a considerable amount posted, doncha think? Well, I started two new fics, at least. One is Love's Own Bounty, and the other's Reunited. Sergundra's a priority, as well. Sigh. Well, That's four, anyway, which is fine with me. Hey, if you ever get bored, and you like Amarant or just any particular suspenseful/crappy writing, then you can always read Sergundra. Ehehe.....*falls over* Anyway....Less talk, more write!  
  
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"Gohan!" Goten pleaded, tugging at his older brother's pantleg. "It's cold, and I wanna go home...."  
  
"Not now, Goten," said Gohan through gritted teeth. He eyed his brother with a sympathetic look that clearly said 'Stay out of the way, in case you're hurt!' Goten, being a rather keen saiya-jin boy, got the message. Solemnly, he let go of the material he'd been clutching, and backed away from the group of confronting heroes (and heroines).  
  
Gohan returned his attention to the group of strangers. He almost felt the same way Vegeta did -- these people didn't look very friendly. Well, perhaps the blonde man did.....but whomever the blonde-haired one was, he didn't look any older than himself. And the fact that he had a tail bothered him. Was this stanger a saiya-jin? What did this alien want with them?  
  
Suddenly, the strange, rat-figured female spoke up, "Earth, it seems, is your home planet."  
  
Before Gohan could even flinch to stop him, Vegeta huffed, "My home planet it Vegeta, destroyed a long time ago. These fools," he said bitterly, nodding at Gohan and the sulking Goten, "Belong on Earth. Now, tell me, where is Bulma and Trunks?"  
  
"Bulma....and Trunks?" the blonde-haired one shook his head as he spoke. "I'm sorry, but we've never met anyone like that. Besides, we're not from this planet."  
  
Vegeta smirked, "Oh really. And what planet ARE you from?"  
  
The blonde-haired boy scratched the back of his neck, looking rather bothered, "Um, Gaia."  
  
"Whoa," said the violet-haired girl, her pitched voice cutting through their converstation. "I don't know about the rest of you, but all this talk of a bunch of different worlds is confusing me. ONE world was enough to save. Now we're HERE, trying to save another, or whatnot. How many planets are there, anyway?"  
  
"So the runt wants to know how many worlds there are," said Vegeta, scowling. "Hundreds. Thousands, perhaps. Too many to keep track of, certainly. You truly must be a primitive species to know that."  
  
"Hey!" the girl cried offensively. "I may be seven, but I'm a summoner! Unless you want Fenrir to kick your hieny in, I'd be quiet if I were you!"  
  
"I'm sorry," said Gohan, apologizing very hastily before Vegeta could do anything drastic. "Lately, he hasn't been this way, but since his wife and son....it's a long story. He's upset, that's all. What are your names?"  
  
"His wife and son...." said the blonde-haired boy, pensively. Gohan thought that he had a note of doubt in his voice as well, be it vanished. "Well, I'm Zidane for starters. The noisy one is Eiko," he continued, ignoring the girl's nasty look. "This is Freya, and Dagger.....who seems to be unconscious, still. Quina, Steiner, Vivi.......and Amarant's the seven-foot, red-flamed hair, sinister-looking one. He and your friend already seem to have so much in common."  
  
Vegeta's scowl turned into a grin, "Then he must be rather powerful, indeed."  
  
Amarant stared intensely at Vegeta. Gohan swore he saw a glimmer of a smirk hang at the corner of his mouth, but once again, he decided that he must have been mistaken. 'Amarant' grunted, "Don't compare me to this loser, Zidane. That's the worse you can do."  
  
"I would keep my tongue if you what is best," retorted the saiya-jin prince. "Unless you want me to trim that bush you call hair for you."  
  
'Eiko' was the one, however, that took offense, "As if!" she quipped. "Amarant would have you begging for mercy before you could flinch!"  
  
Vegeta was now smirking, "Is he that powerful?"  
  
"I don't want to know," said Zidane, shaking his head. "Well, we told you our names. Isn't it fair if you introduced yourselves?"  
  
"I'm-" Gohan began.  
  
"Be silent," Vegeta suddenly stepped forward. "I don't trust them, Gohan. What if they are lying? Perhaps they do have Bulma and Trunks. We could be walking into another trap. Don't be so foolish."  
  
"I don't know," said Gohan, looking from the group of 'Gaians', and then back at his mother, Krillin, and Piccolo, who were all peacefully lying in their stupored state. "Vegeta, I think they can help us."  
  
"Vegeta," said Zidane, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "And Gohan and Goten. I don't think that you've realized it yet, but over the course of the past four minutes, you've revealed what your names are. But you don't have to worry, we're -- or I am a least -- just as confused as you are. All I want to know is where the nine 'Sealmrians' are."  
  
Gohan watched as Vegeta's expression went blank, "There's more, then. Tell me, what is your purpose here?"  
  
"I suppose it's the same as yours," said Zidane, shrugging. "You guys are looking for someone, right? Well, so are we.....in a way. Amarant here can tell you more than I can."  
  
Amarant glared, "We don't even know who we're looking for. It's pathetic, isn't it?"  
  
Vegeta's mouth curved into another smirk, "Sounds pathetic to me." Already, he was beginning to like this supposedly 'poweful' man. This 'Amarant' appeared to be to more mature, sensible of the bunch....so far.  
  
"Uh...Zidane?"  
  
A weak, feminine voice that belgonged to the motionless figure that Zidane had mentioned was 'Dagger', began to stir. She sat up, and rubbed her head, "Hmmm...? Zidane, are we on Terra?" Dagger got to her knees, and then her feet, wavering a little. She blinked, and tried to focus on her surroundings. "Who are these people? Why is Amarant here?"  
  
"Didn't have much of a choice...." Amarant muttered.  
  
"Dagger," said Zidane, almost cheerfully. "Meet Gohan, Vegeta, and the little guy over there with a stange hair is Goten. I think Gohan him are related, as far as I can tell."  
  
Gohan laughed lightly, "He's my little brother," he explained. "My dad's supposed to be here, too, be he seems to be missing as well. The one he's sitting beside is my mom. Her name's ChiChi. And that's Piccolo and Krillin. They might look kind odd, but they're great guys."  
  
The saiya-jin prince rolled his eyes. "You talk as if you've known them for years, Gohan," he growled. "Stop pestering them with this useless information. The sooner we can find Bulma and Trunks, the sooner we can leave. I, for one, want to meet up with Kakkarot again."  
  
Zidane blinked, confused, "Kakkarot?"  
  
Gohan sighed, "My dad," he explained, once again.  
  
Now Zidane, instead of understanding, was more confused than ever. "I think we have a lot to discuss. Maybe we can help you, if you help us. Sound fair?"  
  
"We don't want a handful of weaklings to slow us down," said Vegeta, abruptly. "If we are to, in fact, go together, I want to know how strong you are."  
  
Zidane, yet again, scratched the back of his neck, appearing uncertain. "Um, yeah...Well, to be honest, I think that Vivi is the one here with strongest magic attacks. I'm not into that kind of stuff. Amarant does a bit of each, and both Eiko and Dagger are summoners."  
  
Vegeta snorted dubiously. Gohan raised an eyebrow, feeling a little doubtful himself, "A summoner? What do they do?"  
  
"A lot!" Eiko piped, leaping up and down. "And I'll prove it to you if I have to!"  
  
Zidane ignored the seven-year-old, "Summoners summon....well, Eidolons. But you won't know what those are.....Eidolons are, well, like monsters or beasts. No, that's crude. Dagger? A litle help?"  
  
Dagger, still looking a little dazed, cleared her throat, "I'm not sure what's going on, but....I guess I can explain what an Eidolond it. They're great, elemental spirits that take the form of what they signify. For example, Ifrit is a demon of fire. Phoenix is a bird of flames, yet heals with her power. And Bahaumut....well, he has no element, he's....a dragon king, I suppose."  
  
"That is your power?" Vegeta inquired, "You call upon dragons, and birds to do your dirty work?"  
  
"Dirty work?" Eiko suddenly cried, "Don't make fun of summoners like that! Zidane, can I please cast Holy on him or something? He's really bothering me!"  
  
"Oh, and they have white magic, too," the genome added, half-heartedly.  
  
Vegeta regarded the two female summoners, and seemed to change his mind, "Forgive my sarcasm, but I agree. There is much to learn about each other. However, before I waste any more time on these trivial discussions, I want to make sure that what you people consider 'powerful' is enough. How about it? Who wants to spar?"  
  
Gohan's jaw gaped in both surprise and anger, "Vegeta! You said you didn't spar with anyone but Kakkarot or Trunks!"  
  
"I did," the saiya-jin prince admitted, and uncrossed his arms. "But this is more important, I believe."  
  
Zidane, on the other hand, was simply more confused than he'd started out to be, "Spar? You want to fight one of us? Gee, I thought we were getting off to a good start, too. Well, I for one don't want to tangle without anyone I don't know."  
  
Dagger hid her sarcasm, but her tone was clearly annoyed, "Coming from you, Zidane, that phrase seems strangely out of place."  
  
"Hey!" he protested, glancing at her, "Don't tell me you're still mad about that. I said I was sorry. Why can't you get over it?"  
  
"It seems I'm going to have to be the one to do it," said Amarant, suddenly. All eyes turned towards him, some surprised, others oblivious. "At least it'll pass the time until Steiner and the Qu to wake up."  
  
"Good," said Vegeta, advancing on Amarant a few steps. The red-haired bandit clearly towered over the saiya-jin prince by nearly two feet, but the look in Vegeta's eyes was enough to amount to any height. His grin broadened, "We'll skip the warm-up, to make things quicker."  
  
"I don't know, Vegeta...." Gohan's tone was flat. "He doesn't look like someone that knows how to fly, in the first place. But then again, that might not matter, judging by the look on his face."  
  
"Well..." Vegeta eyed the tall bandit down. "Do you?"  
  
Amarant snorted, "How to fly? Unlikely. Don't go telling me that you can fly, because that's where the limitations of my beliefs stop."  
  
"Of course I can fly," There was a glint of humour in Vegeta's voice. "Even Goten knows how to fly. Can't you even get your own feet off the ground?"  
  
Amarant stared, "I take it you're a very interesting specie."  
  
"You are human, so that makes you all the more interesting," Vegeta replied, chuckling in his own way.   
  
Amarant merely shrugged, "Not necessarily."  
  
Zidane blinked, and pondered for a brief second. Did Amarant just say 'not necessarily' to the comment about him being interesting, or.....human? He shook his head, freeing the thought from any logic. No, of course not. That would be rather stupid, wouldn't it? Amarant not being human.....Of course he'd meant it the other way.   
  
"Then," said Vegeta, smirking again, "I will not fly, to make it fair. Shall we being....Amarant?"  
  
  
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(Well, it might be a bit short. It's just a chapter on discussing, you know, meeting each other. I'll have the next chapter up sooner than this one, I promise. I was working on 'Love's Own Bounty' so that's what stalled this one from being on time. The next chapter's gonna be interesting. Who you think is gonna win the match? Don't go automatically assuming. Vegeta is pretty strong, but Amarant has his own kind of magic, and technique....but will it be enough? *evil cackle* Find out on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z!!!! *echoes, like on television shows* All right, I'll stop that lol. Aidios, amigos!) 


	7. Results and Realization

Disclaimer: *sings* Oh I wish I owned Final Fantasy Niiiiiine. That is what I truly, wooly wiiiish! For if I owned Final Fantasy Niiiiine, then everybody'd think that I'm a fiiiiiish!  
  
(?????)  
  
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"Results to Realization"  
  
By: Laura M. Ulian  
  
March 9, 2002  
  
Dedicated to: Um....let's see....the Sly Eagle. I looooove "Death Of A Fairy Tale" and you seem to like my fics to. Do I really got to say why I'm dedicating this chapter to you? You're soo keenly excited to read it, and all, lol. *grin*  
  
(More dedications to come, peeps. Though, so many, it shouldn't matter, right? I know ur all thinking 'Oh geez, she's dedicating things? But c'mon, give me a little joy to be spending half of my March break typing these things up. *wide grin* So yes, I'm starting to dedicate these things, cause it just feels better. Hehe. I hope it doesn't bug any of yous...Quote: "I'm such a kind, generous person, and you have to accept that!" Unquote. Riiiiight. Two problems with that. One: I'm not qualified to be a kind, generous person, and two: There's no such quote. Ahem. I think I'll just start writing now.....*sigh*)  
  
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(So.....Uh, right. Hehehe, I'm in one of those moods that says "Write! Wriiiite!", and so I got no choice. Although I kind did post two chapters two days in a row, it's all that can be, um, expected. Wel, let's see....Amarant vs Vegeta. Let's place some bets, folks. Amarant - quick, always prepared, and wuite powerful magic-wise when he needs to be. Vegeta - powerful, fast, yet pretty overconfident sometimes. Who'll win? Today, on Dragonball Z!!!! *echoes* Man, that's even annoying to me! Oh well, half of you probably aren't even reading this anyway, hehehe.)  
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This is great.....just great," Eiko mumbled under her breath. She sat cross-legged with her hand folded atop her knees, and her eyes were set firmly on the two fighters. Amarant and Vegeta stood facing each other, and yet neither moved, or even flinched to attack each other. The seven-year-old felt her face burn with a mounting temper, and finally, she couldn't stand another second of the silent, time-wasting, staring contest.  
  
"Excuse me!" she called out to the midst of them. "If you don't mind, it would be great if you two DID something!"  
  
"Eiko," said Dagger, sitting patiently to her right. They both rested comfortably against a scorched, crystal boulder, in wich Zidane was pacing along above them. But the queen looked almost sad, "You'd better allow them do what they are doing. This Vegeta man won't make the first move, and goodness knows that Amarant never attacks first. One of them will have to give in.....sooner or later."  
  
Gohan sat upon yet another boulder, on the other side of the 'fighting' pair. According to Earth time, it must have been 10:00 already. He hadn't slept for eighteen hours, and the meal in his stomach was beginning to drowse him out. Beside him, Goten had curled himself up, and his head lay snuggled against his older brother's knee. The saiya-jin boy yawned in his sleep, and rolled over, startling Gohan from his daze. Blinking, he looked down at the peaceful Goten and smiled. If only Mom were awake, he thought. He's kinda scared, I guess. I really wonder how we're going to get home, even if we do find Bulma and Trunks. And where's Dad? Vegeta said...  
  
But looking at the saiya-jin prince now, standing so solidly, so awake, made Gohan realize something that hadn't crossed his mind before. For all he knew, Vegeta could have tricked him. Knowing the saiya-jin, even though he'd 'cheered up' considerably since Buu, Gohan had doubts that his father would ever get another chance to leave the Other World, and therefor, Vegeta had been lying. Something, perhaps the fact he was watching Vegeta in battle, quenched the anger that balled up in the pit of his stomach. After all, he'd been merely speculating.  
  
"I'm waiting," said Vegeta, startling Gohan for yet a second time. All heads turned in his direction. "Let's go, Amarant. It's your turn."  
  
The firey-haired bandit said nothing, but Gohan could literally feel the ironic, irrational annyoance just radiating the air. Amarant shifted his weight slightly, and continued to stare. Finally, for what seemed like an hour later, he spoke.  
  
"I don't attack. I fight."  
  
Vegeta took this in, and considered it for a moment. Yes, it made perfect sense. So, this man wanted to be attacked, did he? He fought? The saiya-jin prince broke out into a smirk of contempt, "Very well. I'll show you MY technique."  
  
Even without the adjoining comment, Amarant was already fully prepared for Vegeta's assault. Of course he was -- there was never a time he could be caught off guard. However, in the case of events that simply occured next, he had to admit to himself later that he wasn't fully ready for a quick, searing hot beam of....whatever it was. But Vegeta's hands came together, and before anyone could even blink, the shot had been made.  
  
It was Amarant's instincts that saved him this time. Mustering the greatest amount of strength he could manage in a split second, he launched himself from the ground, and swung his claws into an attack position comfortable for when he landed again. His boots hit the ground, the would-be echo snuffed immediatly by the limited space about them. Amarant crouched, eyes keenly observing the saiya-jin's next possible move. His mind registered the unexpected attack as foulplay, but he was never one to complain about such things.  
  
"My," commented Vegeta, rather amusingly. "That was close. I didn't expect you to dodge that in time. Well, at least we're off to a good start, would you say?"  
  
Suddenly, the saiya-jin prince had simply vanished from his spot, travelling at high speed as he threw himself at the monk. Amarant somehow found it easy to evade his fists, by swiftly ducking under his outstretched arms. He kicked out with a single foot, expecting to meet his opponent's knees. Instead of tripping the saiya-jin, however, Vegeta leapt right over Amarant's head, and landed a kick of his own squarely in the monk's back. Amarant almost felt the bones shatter, but luckily, they held and the pain was forgotten. In a flash, he'd leapt to his feet, and was exchanging blow for blow with the saiya-jin prince  
  
Gohan was dead awake now, watching with his jaw agape. He narrowed his eyes in bewilderment. The man -- Amarant matched Vegeta, move for move! Every blow he took with his fists, or his palms, and knocked them from harms way, as if they were made of willow twigs! The amzement of it all swelled inside of the saiya-jin boy's head, causing his head to spin. What kind of a human fighter could meet a saiya-jin's strength, let alone a prince?  
  
Now both oppenents looked slightly surprised at each other's strength, having doubted each other entirely. Vegeta, not wanting to be beaten down, began to punch even harder, finding himself pitted against something he had not expected at all. There seemed to be no difficulty with this matter, but slowly, Amarant began to back up under the sheer pressure of the saiya-jin's attacks. Suddenly, he was simply no longer there, but swiftly travelling at a speed that matched even Vegeta's abilities. He'd pulled his fancy, however simple evasion trick. The monk now stood at his full height, roughly ten yards away from the saiya-jin, and staring in fascination.  
  
It was Vegeta who commented next, "How admirable. A human with those techniques.....where did you learn this, Amarant?"  
  
Amarant mearly shook his head and smirked, "It doesn't concern you. Seems I won't be needin' these," he said flatly, stripping himself of his Rune Claws. He tossed them to the ground. "Wouldn't want to hurt you or anything."  
  
It was Vegeta's turn to smirk, "We'll see. However, I've seen your strength now. I'm curious about what powers you possess. Show me."  
  
The monk glanced, almost uncertainly at Zidane. The genome had stopped pacing by now and was staring at them both, simply overshocked at the briefness of the squabble. "Ummm...." he said, and abruptly cleared his throat. "Yeah, whatever....show him what you got, Amarant."  
  
"Yeah!" Eiko cried, helpfully. "You can do it, Amarant!"  
  
Behind Vegeta, Gohan began to tremble very slightly. This man has an incredible power, he thought pensively, to himself. He could even fend of Vegeta's blows, and now Vegeta wants him to show his power? The boy shook his head. What sort of energy did Amarant have? How did a human -- however guilty it made Gohan to think that way -- know such maneuvers and use them so well?  
  
"Vegeta..." he said, trying his best to sound sincere. "I hope you know what you're doing. It looks to me like he can do some pretty heavy damage."  
  
"Stop worrying," said the saiya-jin prince. "I'll trust him to not kill me if he can help it," he added, scornfully.  
  
All eyes were on Amarant now, as he stared calmly in Vegeta's direction. his gaze was thoughful, but undecided. Then, he spoke up, "How do I know you won't turn it against me?"  
  
Vegeta raised his brow, "You seem to know a lot about me. Of course, I could do that. But only if your power is weak enough, however. Show me your strongest, and I'm sure you'll have no regrets."  
  
"He did attack you with his magic," Dagger pointed out, her voice as awestruck as Zidanes'.  
  
Vegeta chuckled, "Magic? Is that what you call it? No, I don't know how to use 'magic', woman. I use my energy. It's not magic."  
  
"Well, Amarant uses magic," said Zidane, from atop of his boulder. He sat down, and slid over the edge of the rock to land softly on the crystal-like ground. "It's a little strange. I suppose the only one he could use that'll affect you is Curse, or Demi Shock."  
  
Amarant suddenly grunted in approval, "Demi Shock. Of course."  
  
"Uh, Amarant, just a-" Eiko began, standing up.  
  
But the monk either hadn't heard her, or didn't care. Without another warning, Amarant drew back his fists, concentrating on the gravity-based attack he'd used those numerous times while battling with Zidane. As soon as he felt the heavy, dark magic at his finger tips, her threw his arms forward, and muttered half-heartedly, "Demi Shock."  
  
Vegeta had been prepared. Given the time, and the clear fact that the monk was about to attack. Immediatly, he thrust himself into his super saiya-jin form and lifted his arms to shield the 'magic' enegry. For a split second, nothing happened. And then, when the saiya-jin was beginning to doubt Amarant's ability after all, he began to become of the incredible weight that seemed to be pulling him in every direction. An eerie, thick spehere of black light expanded itself around him, and several small bands of similar energy crackled form it's surface. The weight nearly unbearable, and an eruption of pain suddenly tore at the saiya-jin from inside. He cried out in both agony and shock, and threw himself backwards. The exact moment he left the sphere, it collapsed into itself, and disappeared completely.   
  
Vegeta stood, panting heavily from the whole experience. It had felt as if his ribs were being snapped off, but as he absently took a few step backwards, he found out that he was still in one piece, and the pain had gone. Almost as if it had never been there in the first place. Grimacing his surprise, the saiya-jin prince lifted his accusing eyes to stare at the flame-haired monk. Amarant smirked and gestured in a careless way, "There. That's my 'power."  
  
"You..." Vegeta growled, but somewhere inside, a new respect for this 'human' had planted itself, and refused to shake. "How did you..."  
  
"Demi Shock takes away your energy, not your life," explained Zidane. "It give the illusion of pain to weaken the enemy, though."  
  
Eiko was also staring, but for a completely different reason, "Um," she said plaintivly. "Am I the ONLY one that's noticed just a wee little change? Didn't this Vegeta guy have BLACK hair, not yellow?"  
  
At the same moment, it seemed, every other spectator appeared to realize that Vegeta was no the same as he'd been before. Zidane was the first to speak up, "She's right. Your hair's different, and....well, you're different."  
  
Dagger smiled, "It's Trance, isn't it? He must have gone into Trance."  
  
At this, Vegeta turned on the queen. His voice was neither accusing or kindly, but it was full of something similar to anger, "Trance? I don't know what you're talking about. I am super saiya-jin."  
  
Eiko snorted, in spote of herself, "Super what?"  
  
"Saiya-jin!" Vegeta snapped, clenching his fists. "That's what I am! Isn't it obvious?"  
  
The seven-year-old shook her head, eyes broadening, "Well, at least that explains why you keep refering us as humans. Just for the record, the only real humans here are Steiner and Amarant. And I'm not even sure about Amarant."  
  
Gohan suddenly spoke up, voice faltering, "What about....Zidane? I thought he was human. I mean, he's clearly not saiya-jin, even though he has a tail...."  
  
"He doesn't look like a saiya-jin to me," piped Goten, who was not fully awake and sitting on his brother's lap. "I'm bored, too. Can I go super saiya-jin like Vegeta, Gohan?"  
  
"Not now," said Gohan, barely above a whisper.  
  
Zidane glanced at his tail, and then to Vegeta. "I don't think I undestand. So, if you guys are saiya-jins, and saiya-jins have tails, why don't you guys have them?"  
  
Vegeta glared dangerously at the genome, his eyes glittering, "They were removed," he said, stalely, and did not explain any further. Zidane had a hunch that the 'saiya-jin' wasn't proud of the fact that he was tailess, so he hastily dropped the subject.  
  
"Right," he said slowly, and hesitated for a moment or two. "Well, I'm a genome, originally from this world. Long story. Dagger here might look like a human, but she's a summoner, like Eiko here. Her horn was removed, I suppose, like your tails were. Vivi, the little guy over there," he said, gesturing towards the unconscious black mage, who'd been carefully placed so that he rested comfortably, "Is a black mage. Long story there, too. Freya is..." his eyes darted to the silent Dragon Knight. Freya glanced back, "She's a Burmecian. She might not say very much, but...."  
  
The saiya-jin prince stared, nearly disgustedly, at Quina, "What is that thing?"  
  
Zidane shrugged, "A Qu. When s/he wakes up, I suggest you stay away from her....er, him....it. Whatever."  
  
Goten seemed particularily interested in this, "You mean you don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"  
  
The genome shurgged helplessly, "We never asked. We assume....it's a him. Quina's a nice person, but kinda strange. All he'll talk about is food, so don't expect much of a conversation."  
  
"Um," Eiko, once again, broke intot he conversation. "I'm just curious and everything, but....who one the fight?"  
  
Both Amarant and Vegeta glared at her. "No one," said Amarant.  
  
"A draw," agreed Vegeta, absently. "I, for one, don't want to know what other power you might contain, Amarant. Not when we are running so low on time."  
  
"Ow...."  
  
Zidane turned around, to see not only Vivi get to his feet, but Steiner as well. Quina was still rather motionless. The ten-year-old black mage shook his head, straightened his hat, and looked over at the genome, who was watching him. Slowly, he turned to face Vegeta, and the Gohan and his little brother. Finally, after completing a full circle, Vivi peered up into Zidane's face, "Who...who're they?"  
  
"Curses..." came Steiner's voice, as he frowned in Vegeta's direction. "I must have passed out again....What has happened? Where is the queen? Who are these scoundrels?"  
  
"Whoa, Rusty, calm down," said Zidane, shaking his head. "Don't worry about Dagger, -- she's fine. And they," he added, gesturing towards the saiya-jins, "Are not scoundrels. They're friends. Vivi, it's good to know you're not taking any immediate implications."  
  
The black mage just blinked and shook his head again, "I-I don't understand. Are we on Terra?"  
  
"Yes, we're on Terra," Zidane confirmed. "I'll explain everything to you when Quina and the others wake up."  
  
Vivi looked around him, still rather puzzled, "But Zidane....everyone's already awake."  
  
"I think he's talking about Mo- I mean, ChiChi and the others," Gohan interjected. "Hey there. I'm Gohan."  
  
"H-hi..." the black mage stammered, and blinked.   
  
"An odd-looking child..." said Vegeta, thoughtfully. "You said he was the most powerful of the lot?"  
  
Zidane shrugged, "The lot of us? I dunno. He can use a bunch of different magic that has to do with fire, ice, lightning.....very painful to be one of his enemies."  
  
"I d-don't know..." said Vivi, uncertainly. "I'm not that strong..."  
  
"Did I mention he's very modest?" said Zidane, grinning.  
  
Gohan was looking intently at ChiChi, and the two Z-Fighters. His expression was blank. "I think that Mom's going to take a while to recover....I don't think she has as much strength as the rest of us. I don't know why Piccolo and Krillin aren't awake. I would have thought at least Piccolo would be awake by now."  
  
"I am," said a steely voice.  
  
Gohan's eyes grew wide, "Piccolo? You're awake???"  
  
Zidane watched amusingly, as the strange, green-skinned, white-caped creature openned his eyes, and gazed calmly at the saiya-jin boy. 'Piccolo' lifted his head from the rock he'd been resting against, and squinted in Amarant's direction, "I've been awake."  
  
Vegeta glared cooly at the Namekian, "For how long?"  
  
"Long before the rest of you," was Piccolo's reply, as he torpidly got to his feet. He approached the saiya-jin prince and stopped to stare at the others, "I heard. Don't bother explaining."  
  
Gohan looked meekly towards Zidane, "This is Piccolo. He's from another planet called Namek. It was destroyed, like the planet Vegeta. Oh, and he's the keeper of the Dragonballs, which I'll explain about later, I guess."  
  
"Dragonballs...Namek," the genome shook his head. "He reminds me of someone I know...."  
  
"Well, at least that's the most of us," said Gohan, glancing back at his mother. "I just wish mom would wake up. I think Goten's a little tired..." he said, and laughed lightly as his little brother sighed in his sleep. "Then again, so am I....How 'bout you, Piccolo?"  
  
But Piccolo wasn't listening to the saiya-jin boy. His icy gaze was still fixed on Amarant, as if her were trying to call upon an old memory. It couldn't be... he thought, sourly. His power level is extremely high. He might have won, and he knows it. I heard the fight. His energy was endless when he called that....magic attack. Why doesn't he desire to fight?   
  
Suddenly, his eyes darted towards the remainder of the Gaians. A cold realization gripped his mind, when he sensed their own power. The same was for them. They had limits, but they were extendable. They wore gear and bore weapons to make them stronger. It was not merely this Amarant character whom possessed this strange kind of energy called 'magic'. Or perhaps it was something else....an emotion. A passion. Anger? Perhaps their power depended on their mood. He had to know....  
  
"Piccolo?" Gohan's voice rang inside of his ears. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
  
"This Trance you spoke of," said Piccolo, gruffly. "Tell me Zidane, what is it?"  
  
Zidane scratched the back of his neck at the unusual question, "It's kinda hard to explain. Trance is....a surge of emotions, I guess. It makes us about ten times stronger than we are to begin with, though it only lasts a little while. I mean, if we're really angry, or upset, or even really happy, then we go into Trance."  
  
Vegeta found this rather amusing, "Quite similar of what happens to a saiya-jin when gazing at the full moon. I admire that kind of power."  
  
"We all know you do, Vegeta," said Gohan, almost accusingly.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" said Eiko. "Seeing as there's a lot we have to do, I'm gonna ask, you know, one more question....Don't we have somewhere to go?"  
  
"That's right," said Freya, for the first time in a while. "There was that voice, Zidane. Remember, we're only here to find whomever is calling for our help."  
  
"In which I should have no part of," growled Amarant, mostly to himself.  
  
"We can't leave until ChiChi, Krillin and your friend wake up," said Gohan. "We'll have to wait until they come around."  
  
"Well," said Eiko, flopping herself back on the ground, against the crystal boulder. "We're gonna have to wait some more then. Is it just me, or am I the only one not enjoying this trip?"  
  
"I'll admit that I agree with Eiko," said Dagger, sighing. "It could be another day for all we know, until your friends wake up."  
  
Zidane suddenly laughed, "It should be easy enough to tempt Quina awake. Just find some food and hover it above his nose.  
  
Eiko frowned, "S/he doesn't have a nose."  
  
An awkward silence filled the air, and one by one, the new companions took a seat somewhere, whether it be on boulder, or ground. Not long after the silence took place, Gohan and Goten were both fast asleep. Vegeta sat by himself, though not at all far off from the others. Amarant was the only one left standing, as he leaned himself comforatbly against the boulder Zidane now sat against. He stared at the wall of burned wreckage, knowing that just past it would be another. After that wall, there would be thousands more.   
  
He frowned at himself, for suddenly feeling afraid to fall asleep. He too, was tired, but the last thing he needed was another vision. Surely, considering he was here, on Terra, with the seven other 'souls' that the portal had demanded--  
  
A new fear abruptly stuck him, like a club. How stupid! The man had saved his life from the damn 'portal's' wrath! He'd trained at his side for four days straight! Amarant shook his head, beginning to wonder something new. Something he didn't want to remind the rest of the group about. Someone was missing.  
  
Corroc wasn't there.  
  
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(First of all....I don't know how Vegeta doesn't have a tail, though I know Piccolo *ahem* "removed" Gohans when he was a boy, and Goten's was removed at birth....But I don't know why Vegeta don't have one. Oh well, it'd be nice if someone told me. Anyway....OMG, where's Corroc? Forget that, where's Bulma and Trunks, and Goku? What's up with Vegeta's attitude? Find out on the next episode of.....ah, man. Never mind, that's REALLY starting to bug me. But really, you'll have to wait until tomorrow, or the next day, or whenever I feel like finishing it.....*sigh*)  
  
(Well....like me, blame me, but please don't flame me! *winks* Ciao for now!) 


	8. Mistrust?

*Gulp* Yeah, uhhhhh....right. I'M SORRY!!!! Hehe, really, things are pretty hectic around here.....and PLEASE, if you find this chapter short, don't sue! Heh, all you'll gain from it is these stories, and I'm sure YOU don't want to complete them, eh? Hehehe...anyway, right. Enjoy peoples!  
  
No. No more dedications. I've had my share of this little game called 'favorites' and it's gotten me into some pretty serious doo-doo. So...  
  
This chapter is dedicated to all my fans and readers!!!! Whoo-hoo!!!  
  
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"It's impossible."  
  
Surprised, Gohan lifted his head to give Vegeta his full attention. The saiya-jin's voice was dripping with discomfort, when he spoke again, "That power....it's ridiculouly strong. He's a human. Humans don't have that kind of energy..."  
  
Gohan blinked, "But I thought...You sounded so impressed before...what are you saying?"  
  
Vegeta stared for a brief second or so, before crossing his arms and turning his back on Gohan, "Impossible," he repeated. "Think of how strong he would be if he were in this 'Trance' they talk so much about! We can't trust them. We'll go alone."  
  
"Alone!?" Gohan cried suddenly, his eyes growing wide. "But -- Vegeta, we don't know anything about this planet! They seem to have some sort of tie with this 'Terra' world....and who knows what kind of creatures could be living here...?"  
  
"Don't be a fool," the saiya-jin prince scolded, the nasty, bitter tone flooding his voice once more. "This could be a trap, and we're responsible for the others. I won't have it -- I'm going alone, with or without you."  
  
For several moments, Gohan condsidered Vegeta's words. He was right, it could be a trap for all they knew. But Zidane, Eiko, Vivi, and even Amarant seemed harmless enough. Then again, the last time he'd trusted alien strangers, he, Krillin, and Bulma found themselves at the mercy of two, ugly, and very heinous creatures. He shook his head, still not looking away from the saiya-jin prince, "You...you really miss them that much, don't you?"  
  
"What!" Vegeta, though Gohan was poor at detecting these things, tried to hide the truth from his voice. The saiya-jin turned his face away just in time to hide the hurt in his eyes, "This is insane..." he growled. "I...."  
  
Gohan grinned, "No, it's ok, Vegeta. Don't answer it if you can't."  
  
Before eiher of them could say more, a soft groan broke the silence. Instantly, all heads turned towards the figure of a stirring ChiChi, rubbing her eyes and staring at her surroundings. Krillin, being the nearest, was the first on his feet, and at ChiChi's side. He peered down at her as she propped herself on one elbow.  
  
"ChiChi," said Krillin, face blank, "Are you all right?"  
  
"Uh...." ChiChi looked wearily up into Krillin's questioning gaze, and blinked. "Where....what happened?"  
  
Gohan laughed, "Everything's fine, mom," he told her. He was sitting atop of the boulder that she rest against, so he had to crane his head to look at her.  
  
"What..." ChiChi, hearing her son's voice, immediatly snapped her eyes open. "Gohan??" her voice instantly lost it's drowsy, confused demeanor. "What? Where? Where's Goten? Where's GOKU!? WHAT HAPPENED!!??"  
  
A chilled silence echoed her words, and for the next minute or two, no one moved. Gohan slowly, and meekly turned his head to look innocently in the 'Gaians' direction. Not one of them failed to stare at ChiChi, every watching eye startled and confused by her outburst. Zidane shook himself from his stupor and met Gohan's eyes, "Um...she's awake," he said, loud enough for his voice to be carried across the small, crystal plateau.  
  
"Mommyyyy!" Goten cried, leaping from his perch and flinging himself around her neck. "You're awake!"  
  
"We were getting a litle worried there," said Krillin, chuckling, and scratching the back of his neck. "We thought you were going to sleep forever!"  
  
"We're on a different world," Gohan said, before ChiChi could reply. He slid down the boulder to land on the soft crystal below foot. "It's called Terra."  
  
"What?" ChiChi cried, as if the single word explained her confusion. "How? That's ridiculous Gohan, how can we be on another world without a spaceship? Really, the ideas kids get these days..."  
  
"Hmm," Vegeta snorted, surprising them all. "It's true." Seeing that she was still confused, he went on, "Some alien technology transported us here. Well, now that you're awake, perhaps we should be going."   
  
The saiya-jin prince spoke with a sideways glance at the opposite end of the plateau, where Quina, freshly awoken, stood. The Qu had not yet said anything to them, and barely asked any questions about the other party. His/her first question had been, not ironically, 'Where food? Had lovely dream about food.'  
  
ChiChi looked demandingly from her sons, to Krillin, and from Krillin, to Vegeta. "What's that? Alien technology? Oh, that's just perfect! And I'm hungry, and we never even got to finish dinner or anything! Now we're stuck on some other world, and....hey, wait a minute, where's Goku?"  
  
Gohan, looking as if he'd rather not be reminded, stared at his feet, "He's not here," he muttered. "At least, we can't find him. Or Bulma, or Trunks. They're all missing."  
  
Suddenly, ChiChi looked paler than the white crystal she'd been laying against. She parted her mouth slightly to gape, "Ohhhh..." she wialed softly. Her voice, most expectedly, grew louder, and more high-pitched, "You mean I came all the way here, hoping to see him, and he's not even here? Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go find him!"  
  
"I hate to interrupt or anything..." said a soft voice from the group's right. Zidane, apparently unnoticed, had approached them on their blind side. "....but, there's a lot of monsters around right now, and we've had to use half of our magic just to repel them away. Either we move now, or we'll have a few less fighters on our side....until we find and ether, that is."  
  
Everyone stared. Not one of them understood half of what the genome had said, and so, naturally, there weren't any questions. Zidane sighed, and looked down at ChiChi, "Hey. The name's Zidane."  
  
ChiChi, now on her feet, took a careful step backwards, her eyes round and watery, "G-Gohan...? Who are they...?"  
  
"Friends," said Gohan icily, giving Vegeta a half-glance. "They're looking for someone, too."  
  
"You missed it!!" piped Goten. "Vegeta and Mr. Amarant sparred, and they had a draw because Mr. Amarant was too strong!"  
  
Vegeta looked insulted, "It was not-"  
  
"Whatever it was," said Zidane, quickly. "It's over now, and there's no reason to get angry over it. If all 'sparring' matches counted, Amarant'd still be after my hide right now."  
  
The bandit shot the genome an evil, offensive glare. Even from across the plateau, Zidane could hear him mutter something like, "Damn monkey..."  
  
Zidane shook his head, "Are we going now, or not?"  
  
Gohan, instead of answering the genome, turned both eyes on the saiya-jin prince, who stood rather nonchalantly with his back to the group. He had his arms crossed, and his attention focussed on the crystal-type ground underfoot. Gohan cleared his throat, "Well, yeah, I guess....are you ready to go...Vegeta?"  
  
The saiya-jin didn't reply, but turned around to meet his eyes. Gohan felt a chill travel up his spine. Vegeta's gaze was no worse than it had been the day he'd first touched down on planet Earth. It was unforiving, and almost murderous. After what seemed to Gohan, an hour of deadliness, the saiya-jin spoke up. "Of course. Lead the way....Gohan."  
  
"Uh...."  
  
The timid, squeaky voice came from across the plateau, and undoubtedly belonged to none other than Eiko. The six-year-old was backing away from the boulder Zidane had been pacing atop of earlier as if it were squirming with poisonous snakes. Eiko swallowed, and her voice wavered the second time she spoke, "Uh....guys? Um, Zidane, you'd better come here for a second, because....well, we have company."  
  
Zidane's eyes widened, "But what about the repel magic? I thought you had that taken care of!"  
  
Eiko shook her head, her skin draining of all colour. "No...uh, see Zidane....this isn't a monster. Oh, geez, just come here! NOW!"  
  
"Ohhhh...isn't this rather delightful...?"  
  
The second, silkier voice dripped with sarcasm and threat. It was heard the very moment a pale red, feminine head peered over the boulder's edge. Following the head, came a woman of some sort, her body ending in a large, snakish tail that coiled around her legs. The creature smirked, and grinned with a full set of razor-sharp teeth. "You two," she said, smoothly. Her eyes rooted themselves on Amarant. "And you....no, you won't be vicotrious! This is....the end...the end for....all...."  
  
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(Right....uhhhh.......now that Vegeta's a hardass again, I think I got some REAL surprised trailin' this chapter...hehehe! Don't worry, he's not REALLY a hardass. Or IS he? *suspenseful music* Annnnyway. Please R&R blah blah blah....) 


	9. Vegeta's Idiocy

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Vegeta's Idiocy

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"Tight-assed snake…" 

The comment, as always, came from Amarant. He had retrieved his claws and was proceeding to re-arm himself without taking his eyes off of the intruder. Piccolo, having crossed the little plateau, stood behind the glowering monk. Eyes narrowed, arms crossed, Kame's second pieced the scene together into a fitting explanation…..

Eight strangers, and six of their own, in which only five were fighters. Together, there were fourteen people, and three of them were merely children. The Qu didn't look very reliable. The girl and "black mage" they had named looked pathetically weak to say the least. If either of them were even half as strong as Goten, perhaps, he would be surprised. He didn't trust any of them….the only feeling he believed was shared between he and Vegeta. If the others wouldn't listen, he would.

"I'm not interested to know what kind of brawl these folks have had in the past," Piccolo turned his eyes toward the saiya-jin prince. "For once, Vegeta is right. We'll travel alone."

"Geez…" Zidane was already gripping his Rune Blade (the most recent gift from Burmecia when his most powerful weapon was stolen) and concentrating on their pending enemy. "I don't think I speak for myself when I say-"

"There-will-be-no-SAY!" The Terran guardian suddenly bellowed, her face twisted into an expression of hate. "I-will-destroy-you-all!"

"Eee…uh.." a very startled Krillin approached Gohan's left side. He blinked, and raised a single brow. "I'd have to say…this creep reminds me of Frieza."

"That's what I was thinking…" said Gohan, unconsciously balling his fists in front of him. "If he's anything like Frieza, we're all doomed."

"He!?" the guardian screeched, leaping into the air. Violet-tinted blood seemed to drip from the sky as she landed squarely on the boulder Zidane had previously been pacing. "How-dare….you!!! You-will-pay…for that-insult!"

"Yipe…" Krillin shuddered. 

"This is one of the Terran guardians!" Steiner suddenly shouted, all-so-helpfully. "This villain must be from-"

"The mountain."

All eyes, including the infuriated guardians', turned to see Amarant standing somewhat closer than before. Typically, his arms were folded across his chest, and a smirk warping his face into the all-so-known expression known as "arrogance". The monk gestured carefully with a hand, arms remaining crossed, "We busted this thing up back at the Fire Shrine. Whoever it is, or why the hell it's come back, it's time to finish the job."

"It!?" the Shrine guardian shrieked, a ghostly, red aura surrounding her clenched fists. She was ignored.

Zidane was the first to notice a small flaw in Amarant's plan. "Right….um, that's not going to work."

Everyone stared.

"Call me crazy-"

"You're crazy," said Amarant, unfolding his impatient stance. "I might be just speculating, but this is pointless. Either let this thing get away with whatever it wants, or let me handle it."

Gohan, unnoticed as always, blinked. Complete with a surprised expression, he turned to the nearest person – Krillin – and shook his head. "Am I imagining things? Is he becoming more like Vegeta by the second or what?"

Naturally, saya-jin ears weren't made for things like secrets. Instantly, the saiya-jin prince was in Gohan's face, a horribly outraged look in his eyes, "There is nothing that resembles me to that low-life!" he breathed, apparently struggling to retain his anger. "If you want to get out of here, I suggest you leave this to me!"

"As I was saying." Zidane's voice rose above the rest of the clamour. Even the Chaos' whining grew silent, her snake's tail twitching ever so often. "Call me crazy, BUT," the genome quickly added that last word before any more possible interruptions could occur. "I have the feeling that there won't be any fighting unless we attack. If it….she really wanted to kill us, she would have tried it by now. Do you see the logic, or do I have to repeat myself?"

"He sound serious," Quina, for the first time wince they had arrived, spoke about something other than food. "I say we do what Zidane say. He find yummie-yummies, he find way out of this mess."

Vegeta snorted.

"Be a critic," said Zidane, shrugging. "I don't care. What's your notion, then?" he asked, turning to the Shrine guardian. Immediately, the Chaos shrunk away, her hands, bearing twin blades coming to shield her face as if she expected some attack. Zidane stared, "Why are you still trying to protect Terra? It's been destroyed already, and you did nothing to stop it."

"I-did-so!" the Chaos shrieked. "Flames! Flames-here, and then put-out! Lerina, Icea, Gerishino! All dead, all devoured! Nothing-left! The spare….where is your spare? You-cannot…hide-him!"

"Spare?" Zidane slowly closed one hand over the hilt of his weapon again. "Sorry, lady, but we don't have a clue what or who you're talking about."

"The-spare!" the Chaos cried. "Cheaters! Liars! Abominations! World-desroyers….you! Stranger! Freak-destroying world-ruining monster! You-want-my-world! Never-have-it!"

She was pointing at Vegeta.

Vegeta broke.

At first, it began as a slow movement of his hands, but his face was too distorted to begin telling what it could indicate. Of course, Zidane, Dagger, Eiko and the others turned to stare upon his sudden growl of rage, and his distinctive shout. The words were misunderstood, however, for they were drowned out by the fire guardian's scream of agony, when she was drowned in a blinding beam of what appeared to the hero's of Gaia, magic. It completely shielded the fading form of the Chaos in light, yet her cries pierced as loudly as if she were standing in their faces. All in one instant, the blinding….whatver it was, was gone.

As was the Chaos.

There was a stunned silence between groups, but it took only a minute for Amarant to recover, being one whom had faced something similar just hours ago.

"So tell me. Do you always make rash acts of unmerciful torrent? Do you have any idea what you have just done?"

Vegeta was standing apart from the others, appearing unaffected by his sudden burst of anger, and energy. He'd just completely destroyed an enemy of these people in one shot, when it had cost two of their own warriors a struggle before. They showed no signs of immediate gratitude, though the saiya-jin could have expected no less.  Then, a cold thought clicked inside of his head, as the giant of a man bore down upon him, looking anything but grateful. What he had done? Of course he knew what he'd done. He'd blown the living daylights out of some weakling. What did it matter to them?

His next reaction, when Amarant seized the prince by his collar, was slightly different. He stared down in surprise at the sudden act of hostility, and barely heard the words the monk was saying to him.

"You just killed the last surviving guardian of Gaia. That _thing _you just disintegrated was holding back the flow of souls belonging to monsters on Gaia. You have just killed everyone alive on Gaia and Terra alike. You've just killed us, you and your damn family, 'saiya-jin'."


	10. No Mercy

Chapter 10

**"No Mercy"**

**Authors (2) Notes: **Well, looky this…me and DragonUk wrote a chapter together! This is so cool! I think that me and Char (DragonUk) will be writing the rest of, if not a lot of this together….She'll add her own notes, of course, because she's my co-author! Yay! Oh…hehe, sorry it took so long to get put up…I couldn't have written it without DragonUk! *smile*

**Author Note #2: **Hey! Yep, it's me, your worst nightmare! I'm gonna help with the fic, and I hope you enjoy it! Cause I love writing fics, and I love this one! Hopefully, chapters will come out real quick! So, if you're still there, and not asleep because of my insane blabbering, READ!

_________

Vegeta's eyes widened and he felt him self drop to the ground. "You have just killed everyone alive on Gaia and Terra alike. You've just killed us, you and your damn family, 'saiya-jin'." The words echoed threw Vegeta's head. He… Had killed them? His family? Trunks, Bulma? No! Impossible! They were lies, of course….lies from some worthless human that was trying to show off. That was it…

"Vegeta… You just killed…" Krillin started.

"Shut up you baka! I'm trying to think!" Vegeta's head was pounding, practically spinning with confusion. Bulma… his mate, his pride… He had killed her? Their bond, was it breaking now? Or was she gone already? Was he searching for nothing?

"You're an idiot, Vegeta." Amarant snarled. "You killed your wife and son…you killed everyone in Gaia and Terra. You killed yourself." 

"Vegeta, don't you think before you act anymore?" Gohan suddenly intervened. He had gathered the importance of what the 'worthless human' had said, and was now standing with his fists clenched tight. All the while, thoughts were still bubbling inside Vegeta's head… Trunks, his son… was going to die? The heir to the Royal throne? No, that was simply a lie…it was clear that the world was not at an end. It was intact. Monsters? The prince of saiya-jins could easily crush them! Why did he have to…worry…?

Vegeta crossed his arms, looking away. "I have killed thousands….millions in my past! I care not of a small, pathetically weak planet!" he spat.

"But… the monsters, Vegeta." Zidane protested. "Do you know exactly how many creatures we're talking about? If we can't defend ourselves against them, or at least hide…we're doomed. And you don't feel anything?" Zidane asked.

"No." In truth Vegeta was lying. How could he say something more? He had his pride…that came before all else, and no words would pass his lips. 

"What kind of man are you?" Freya suddenly whispered in a threatening, unbelieving voice. "You don't care…you can fly. You should just fly away from it all, shouldn't you? That is you intention."

"My intentions are none of your business, rat," The prince scowled as he spoke, forcing the rising concern in the pit of his hollow heart take a dreadful U-turn. "I can assure you, I am a man of many feelings…but that doesn't mean that I feel any sorrow! I don't care if your pathetic mud ball is gone; it is no concern of mine!" he shouted, keeping his back to the lot.

"This 'pathetic mudball', sir, hosts the reason you are here in the first place!" It was Steiner's turn to interrupt. His normally formal-taken face were nearly beat red, and he was literally radiating a certain level of anger he had not surpassed before.

"I will not let some alien tin can talk to me in that way!" Vegeta snarled. "My family is my business, and I will find them alone!"

Dagger had been completely silent throughout the entirely entrade. She listened with sullen interest, but barely made a sound when she broke the pregnant silence that followed. "Half of the monsters coming are stronger than even we are…some of them have the ability to destroy you while you sleep under their spell…not even my Eidolons will be able to do much damage against the Ruby Dragons…"

"U-um…"

Everyone, including Vegeta turned to look at this new voice. In fact, it was Vivi, and not new at all, but the fact that he had spoken at all was a surprise. The young black mage peered carefully into the expectant faces and made a bold move. "I w-was just wondering how the…monsters souls can flow from Gaia when the...the Iifa tree was destroyed."

"Master Vivi-" Steiner began.

"Monsters don't travel through the Iifa tree," Zidane said solemnly, before the knight could make up some cheap lie. "They disappear when they die, and this is where they go…Gaian souls travel through the Iifa tree…or at least they did. Nothing can stop the monsters from flowing back and forth between worlds, even if the tree is destroyed."

"The ugly truth," Amarant growled. "Leave it to Zidane to point that out."

"Amarant, leave him alone…" Dagger sighed. "We understand that you shouldn't-"

"Be here? I thought it was obvious enough." Amarant crossed his arms impatiently. "The seven of you are enough to take care of this damn little adventure yourself. You don't need me to babysit you."

"Is that what you were doing?" Vegeta suddenly asked, just as Dagger was about to reply. A new pain of jealousy was beginning to tear at his mind. "I was getting the impression that they were looking after _you._"

Amarant stared, but said nothing in return.

"Come on, Amarant…don't you get it? I'm challenging you." The saiya-jin lifted himself from the charred ground a few feet, glaring very maliciously. "I'll show you how grown men can cry after all…"

"I'll make you eat those words…" Amarant said coolly. Vegeta grinned, and answered by turning into a super saiya-jin. 

"We shall see who is stronger now." At this, he lunged.

_________________________________

**DragonUK: **I'm saying this once, and once only, Review, or you die… No reviews, no story.  
Don't you just LOVE suspense? Hehehe… 

**Era Yachi: **Well…it's a cliffhanger. *squeals* Don't hurt ME! *points* It was all HER fault! It was DragonUK, not me! *evil grin* That's the fun with having a co-author…you can blame everything on them and everyone'll believe you! Ahhh! Did I just say that OUT LOUD? *squeaks* Eh….right. Well, R&R! Please!


	11. Another Foe?

Chapter 11

**Author Notes: **DragonUK, don't get mad….Era Y's just a little…er, rushed. I HATE SCHOOL!!!! I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT!!! Hehe…ehh…well, never mind that. You did NOT just hear that from me, k? It's called eduphobia…eheh, and now I got a bad case of Incomprehensible Learning Disorder Syndrome (ILDS) that makes be break out and shout like that from time to time, and oh yeah, everything I just said was a complete lie. *GRIN* Well, I hope you like this chapter…*evil cackle* Oh my!!! What have I done??? Ahahaa…waaaaaa!!!

Just read it. ^_^

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**"Another Foe?"**

            The scene was born of pure rage, though it's creation was simply blinded hatred. The two, stubborn, arrogantly characteristic figures clashed with a flash of bright energy and the horrible sound of fists meeting flesh. For the first time in a history of victorious battles, the Salamander lost his footing – in an upward sort of way – and literally flew from the spot he had been previously standing. It was just his luck that there happened to be a convenient, crystal outcrop to cushion his landing. Being anything but stone, the boulder remained intact. However, Amarant was a very, very still man.

                Something more than shock, though less than panic, raced through Zidane's mind that moment. It was as if he were watching a new enemy rise from the ashes of the Iifa tree. Unlike Kuja, this new foe was directing all of his strength at the obvious threat. The next wave of realization brought the likeliness that Amarant was no longer alive. It was not a very pleasant feeling. In fact, it was something beyond anger….it was utter wrath.

                "Well, that was no fun." Vegeta landed on the scarred ground, dusting off his arms as if he had simply returned from some pesky errand. "I would have thought he would last at least two seconds. Oh well, one will suffice."

                "Vegeta!" came a very alarmed, and remorseful cry. Gohan was now on his feet, and staring wide-eyed at his father's rival.

                "Don't you 'Vegeta' me, boy." Vegeta lifted his lip in an irate sneer. "I came here for one reason, and that was to find Kakkarot. If you're done wasting my time, I believe it is appropriate that we leave."

                "What's wrong with you?" Piccolo inquired harshly. He was nearly quivering with both anger and disbelief. Unlike Krillin, who was still trying to get over the last event, he had an easier time coping with this sudden murder. "First it's 'we', and then it is 'I'. Now it is 'we' again, and you expect us to let this whole thing blow over?"

                "Why not?" Vegeta shrugged, briskly approaching the Namek. "He was a complete stranger, you fool, and not a very friendly one at that. You should be grateful…perhaps these sewer groupies will give a second thought to following us."

                Gohan clenched his fists, while Goten hid behind his left leg, staring at the saiya-jin prince as if he were mad. The first and second son of Goku were rendered speechless. On the other hand, his wife had half a mind to say.

                "You nose-stuck, self-centered, air-headed numbskull! What kind of a mess are you trying for here, huh? Killing a man you don't even know, and calling some weirdo strangers from another planet 'sewer groupies' is _not _the way to make friends! In front of Goten, too! You should be ashamed of yourself, creating a perfectly good excuse for him to run off and become like his father, huh? I want to start schooling him at a young age, you know! I don't need him flying away every time I put him in front of a book!"

                Vegeta growled, unable to take it anymore. "Be quiet! Damn hypocrite, I will do what I wish and when I wish to do it! I don't need some mate of Kakkarot's telling _me _what to do!"

                "EXCUSE ME!!" Eiko suddenly shrieked above all other noise. As it was practically impossible to ignore a seven-year-old's high pitched voice when she was on the verge of killing someone herself, everyone gave her their full attention…including Vegeta, however spiteful he was. Eiko gritted her teeth. "YOU just…just hurt our friend! I don't care what Zidane says, I'm gonna make YOU pay for that! TERRA HOM-"

                "Eiko!"

                Dagger was on the young summoner in an instant. She grabbed Eiko's wrists. Startled, the seven-year-old quenched the glow at her fists and turned her head to stare at the queen. Dagger shook her head, but said nothing, and Eiko immediately understood. Their eyes traveled towards the walking figure of Krillin, who abruptly stopped at the fallen, lifeless Amarant and was examining him carefully.  After a moment, Gohan yelled out. "Is he alive?"

                "Yeah…" Krillin lowered one eyebrow at the spectacle. "But by the power level he's giving, he's not in very good sha-aaaHHHHH!"

                Krillin's words quickly became an exclamation in total surprise as the large, very firm grip of the very alive Amarant closed around his wrist. The bandit stood up, taking Krillin with him, and with a distasteful glare at the man he dwarfed, dropped him in the loose rubble. He was bleeding, and hunched slightlty, but he was an extremely angry, hence living Salamander. 

                "Geez….he never fails to surprise me." Zidane shuddered, the last thing he could do to cover his relief…and concern. He wasn't worried about Amarant himself, but in scarier terms, his present mood. 

                Vegeta said nothing, but lifted himself a few feet into the air, again, appearing to expect some form of attack. None came.

                "This just wasn't supposed to happen…" Amarant's voice flooded the plateau. And, to everyone's mounting surprise, he turned and began to walk away. His very muscles twinged with pain, but he ignored them. It wasn't as if he was showing off…he simply wasn't caring. Freya, startlingly, called out to him.

                "Where are you going?"

                Without turning around, the bandit mumbled something loud enough for all to hear. "….to find a way back to where I'm supposed to be."

                A sullen silence created a hole in time, stretching seconds into minutes, and minutes into an endless eternity. No one spoke, no one moved, and no one glanced at each other. Eventually, the injured, albeit arrogant Salamander vanished from both sight and readings alike. Not even Mog was able to detect his whereabouts by the time Gohan came to his senses. He shook himself from his daze, and looked at the first person that came to mind: Zidane.

                "Well, you seem to be the leader of group…what's up with him?"

                Zidane didn't reply right away. Still in a slight stupor, the genome returned the half saiya-jin's wary gaze. "I really don't know. He hasn't acted this way before…well, I mean, he's always like this…but I expected him to attack Vegeta or something…but he just walked away….weird…I wonder why…"

                "Because he's a coward," Vegeta spat. "Isn't it obvious? I though you would have picked that up by now, you little punk. I'm ready to leave, with or without the rest of you."

                Shockingly, it was none but Quina who stopped Vegeta from flying away.

                "You no understand Terra. Where you go without guide?"

                The saiya-jin prince froze in mid-flight, hovering above the heads like a hesitant fly at a fly trap. He slowly turned to scowl at the Qu. "Are you telling me there's something I should know about this planet?"

                Quina already looked as if s/he wished that s/he'd said nothing in the first place. "Is not important. No yummie-yummies on Terra, only Qu know what edible and what gourmand. Terra filled with evil things and monsters Quina can no cook." S/he quivered slightly, as if every s/he'd said had been a terrible omen.

                "I don't care about what there is to eat!" the saiya-jin shouted, at the same moment his stomach complained its loudest. "You're the biggest fool of them all! A creature with no wit!"

                "I warned you…" Zidane murmured. "The bottom line is that all of you need our help, and we'll require your assistance when it comes to the monsters your friend….conveniently let in. We'll show you what we can do…if that's all right with Spike there." He gestured half-heartedly towards Vegeta.

                Before the prince could open his mouth to protest, Piccolo appeared out of nowhere, standing just behind the genome's shoulder. "If we trust you, you can show us where the others are?"

                Zidane turned around and blinked in surprise. Slowly, he scratched the back of his neck, and looked quietly at the ground. "Uh…not really. I can't say exactly where they'll be, but I have a feeling that they'll be somewhere close by. This…Kakkarot you keep mentioning and our own lost comrade should be together."

                "All the more reason to go with each other," Freya pointed out. She sheathed the spear she had armed herself with when the commotion had gotten rough.

                "Well Vegeta, it's decided," said Gohan, looking up at the saiya-jin with a smug grin. "We'll be going together. You can go on your own, of course, and risk being eaten alive by something that hasn't been seen long enough to be name. Or, you can come with us."

                "Either way, I'm leaving now…." Zidane sighed, crossing his arms. "I don't care what Vegeta did to the guardian, but he didn't get rid of the smell…."

                Everyone except Vegeta and Piccolo muttered their agreement.

                "Ugh…I must be late…"

                The feminine voice cut the short silence into even shorter pieces…her voice crackled slightly, and she leaned against a nearby rock. Everyone stared. None spoke.

                She lifted her head higher. "Don't give me that look…I've had a rough enough day as it is, thank you."

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**End Notes:** Well, my writer's block has been blown into oblivion, thank you to DragonUK!!! Hehe…I decided to write this chapter by myself because it had a fair bit of action in it…and well, I had to get it done by Thursday…I have a lot of review to do at school!! Heh…I'm the action writer, eh? Who'da thunk it? 


	12. "Red"y to go!

Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Dragon UK, you can either patiently wait until the next chapter, or hate me, flame me and blame me. Heh. I e-mailed you, yes, but it apparently never got through. Review and tell me what day and time to meet you! (your time, not mine) Anyway, to the rest of my lovely readers who have been EVER so patient and kind so as to not get mad at me….I'm sowwy. Fanfiction went down, and then it wouldn't let me log in. Stupid, huh? Anywayz, here's the twelth chappie, peeps. Enjoy!

With the sudden disappearance of Amarant, and the even more sudden appearance of the bounty hunter Lani, the group now found themselves in a mix of annoyance and irritation.

                In other words, all hell was on the brink of existence.

                Eiko looked bewildered. Vivi was confused. Zidane was having the time of his life.

                "This is…this is too much…" he managed to gasp between bursts of laughter. "What…and I thought the day couldn't have gotten any better. Amarant, so defeated…and Lani….impeccable timing, Lani!"

                "Zidane, grow up!" Surprisingly, the order came from the not-so-amused queen of Alexandria. Folding her arms in front of her, she stared at Zidane as if she couldn't believe the way he was behaving. It didn't take long for her to voice her angry opinion, and shut the thief up like a chance of snow in July. "Amarant nearly got killed and probably will be now that he's on his own, there's a man over there that's trying to blow up anyone that doesn't listen to him, and we're stuck on a world that wasn't supposed to exist in the first place! I'm leaving, because I have a kingdom to rule that doesn't need to lose another queen."

                "Wha-" Zidane stood up, a little too quickly. He bent over again as his stomach cramped up, and he winced. Trying again, more slowly this time, he lifted his head. Finding success, he raced after Dagger and seized her arm. "Wait, Dagger, I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!"

                "It's nice to see you guys, really." Lani sat sulkily on a nearby rock. 

                "How on Gaia did you get here?" Steiner grumped, glaring heinously at the bounty hunter, apparently not approving of everything he'd heard about her. 

                "I jumped in at the same time as you guys," Lani shot back. "I guess I took that moron Corroc's place before he got sent here with the rest of you. I kind of….landed over there." She gestured towards the direction she had come from. "Didn't hear you guys until I woke up."

                At this time, the Z-fighters and fighters not so qualified as Z, but still on the same side, kept silent. They listened to the rest of the "Gaians" quarrel, and even Vegeta was content enough to stay interested for at least five minutes. When Lani finished talking, however, the prince smirked. "Gather what you can that might be of use. We're leaving right now."

                While the saiyans, humans and other various aliens muttered a solemn agreement, it was the Gaian inhabitants that found themselves at a loss of words. "Wha-" Zidane began.

                "You'd better listen to him," Gohan said, very serenely. "The more you argue, the more he'll hurt people to get his way. It's his pride he cares about, not Bulma, and certainly not Trunks."

                Vegeta looked threatened by this, but held back whatever emotion he was ready to unleash.

                "Well, we're ready to go." Zidane shrugged with his arms and leaned against the rocky wall. "Anytime you are."

                Vegeta simply 'hmphed', and took off in a streak of light. As the people who were presently uneducated about saiya-jins and 'ki' energy could not become wny more surprised, no one made a comment about this 'ability to fly'.  All in all, the remainder of both Earthlings and Gaians felt a tremendous amount of relief when the dangerous saiya-jin was gone.

                "He'll be back, though it might as well be two or nine hours." Krillin explained, slightly more crossed about his previous Amarant-being-alive scare than the others. "But we'd better get going before this place falls apart."

                "It reminds me of Namek…" Gohan lifted his eyes to the sky as he stood up. A cold chill crept down his spine as he gazed in a circle at the piles of wreckage and still-hot embers of the torn-up world. "Just before it exploded. I don't want to go through anything like that again."

                "Then by all means!" Lani snapped abruptly. "Let's get out of this place before _that _thing falls on us."

                One by one, the rest of surrounding off-worlders aimed their eyes towards the sky. As the realization came to each one of them that there was a giant, decapitated top of a giant spar resting a mile or so in the air above them, the decision became extremely simple.

                "We're going,, " said Zidane. He turned his back on his new acquaintances and began to head in the direction Amarant had taken. When he had the feeling that he was _not _being followed, he whirled to face them with an obstinate look on his face. "Well? I'm going this way because I trust Amarant knows where to go when there's a possible danger looming….wherever! Let's just go, ok? All of us."

                "That's right!" Eiko leapt to her feet and raced after the retreating genome. "Amarant knows exactly where to run!"

                "Um, Eiko," Zidane looked to the seven-year-old, and then changed his mind. "Never mind. He deserved it anyway."

                "Goten, put on your jacket before we go or you'll catch cold!" Chi-Chi approached her youngest son, extending a little brown jacket that had seemingly appeared out of thin air. Much to the boy's distaste and resentment, she stuffed his arms through and buttoned it down his front. 

                "Where did you find a _jacket_?" Gohan inquired, scratching the back of his neck. 

                "I brought along a few things that Goten might need in case he got bored, or hungry, or hurt," the unsuspecting mom explained, digging through her leather backpack that had _also _appeared out of thin air. "Music, bandages, cookies, juice, a book, and his homework, of course!"

                "Chi-Chi, didn't it occur to you at all that Goten might not need those things while on an extended visit to an alien planet?" Piccolo opened his eyes from whatever he had been concentrating on to give Goku's wife a discerning glare.

                "What?" Chi-Chi faced the Namek, tone a note above the description 'stressed'. "Are you saying that I don't know what's good for my little boy? I'd like to know how you know what he needs and doesn't need Mr. High-and-mighty-"

                "Um, guys?" Zidane interrupted.  "And, um, miss," he hastily corrected when Chi-Chi shot him a look similar of that a bull gave to a red cloth. "This isn't…I mean, we should be leaving now. That Vegeta guy is standing over there, and he doesn't look too happy."

                From a distance, the saiya-jin prince stood just before the horizon. Snorting his disgust towards nothing, he turned again and disappeared behind the boulder he had been standing on.                   
                Gohan stared at the spot Vegeta had left for a moment longer, even after Chi-Chi, Goten, Piccolo, Krillin, Zidane, Dagger, Eiko, Vivi, Quina, Steiner, Freya, and Lani had gathered in the center of the plateau. While the rest were discussing, getting ready to leave and exchanging names again, the first son of Goku pondering something he hadn't before. _If Vegeta's so insistant to leave, why does he act like it's because of Goku? Even though he wants dad to fight and all, he didn't even know Goku was going to be there before he came here. He wanted to come because of…_

"Hey! C'mon Gohan, let's go!" Goten chirped from the midst of the group. Shaking himself from his daze, Gohan stood up and joined them. 

                _He wanted to come because of Bulma. Dad's ki is the other way. _Gohan turned his head to look off into the direction he presumed was 'east'. Either he was the only one that had noticed Goku's presence in the far-off distance, or the others had simply not bothered to care. _But if I am the only one that can feel him….then maybe Vegeta doesn't know. What if Goku's with Bulma? Or is Bulma and Trunks half-way around the planet?_

_                Which way would Vegeta choose?_

_                (_(Heeeee….now the fun part begins. If anyone, by chance, is wondering why Amarant did leave, then I hope you got guts and patience of steel. You never know what'll happened next, or whatever I have in perfect store. Hehe…this kinda sucks for me, though. I know exactly what's gonna happen! What about me? I don't get any enigma out of this at all! No fair! ^____^))

                  
  



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